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COLONIAL AMHERST 



THE EARLY HISTORY 
CUSTOMS AND HOMES 



GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF AMHERST, LIFE AND 
CHARACTER OF GENERAL AND LORD JEFFERY 
AMHERST, REMINISCENCES OF "CRICKET COR- 
NER" AND "POND PARISH" DISTRICTS 
BY PROF. WARREN UPHAM, AR- 
CH/EOLOGIST OF THE MIN- 
NESOTA HISTORICAL 
SOCIETY 



COMPILED BY EMMA P. BOYLSTON LOCKE 



-»$r 



1916 






Printed by 

W. B. & A. B. ROTCH, 

Milford, N. H. 

1916. 



^2z£? 




Lord Amherst. 



PREFACE 

Genuine affection for a community is both productive of and 
fostered by an interest in its history. Knowledge of the events 
of past years, of the older buildings and landmarks, and of the 
sturdy men and women who have lived, had their influence, and 
then passed on, cannot fail to make its impress on the mind of 
the student. Though he may be all unconscious of it, this 
knowledge must inevitably engender in him an increased inter- 
est, love and respect for the town which is the result of these 
events and influences of the past. 

No town is richer in history than Amherst ; no community 
of proportionate size has produced more men and women of 
sterling character who have been of genuine worth to state and 
nation. 

The history of Amherst has been well and fully written, and 
in compiling this volume no attempt has been made to add ma- 
terially to the facts and data already included in previous works. 

The writer of a "town history" is obliged, by the very nature 
of his work, to treat the events and people of the past in a purely 
impersonal manner. And so these characters and happenings, 
when viewed in the perspective of the years and through the 
pages of the printed history, tend to lose their realness, their vi- 
tality, and become, instead, mere historical personages and epi- 
sodes. 

In preparing this little volume the writer has been entirely 
untrammeled by any thought of producing all the history of Am- 
herst or of presenting it in the usual historical manner. Instead 
it has been her sole purpose to set forth such incidents and stor- 
ies in Amherst history as have appealed to her as most inter- 
esting ; also trying to show the characters as actual, living, 
human beings and the events as real, genuine occurrences. To 
help her visualize her descriptions she has made use, whenever 
possible, of pictures. 

In compiling this book free use has been made of numerous 
sources of information. Among those to which credit should 
be given are Belknap's History of New Hampshire, E. D. Boyls- 
ton's (unpublished) History of Amherst, John Farmer's History 
and Memoirs, Sketch of a Busy Life by E. D. Boylston, Se- 
comb's History of Amherst, Proceedings of the 150th Anniver- 
sary of Amherst, Customs and Fashions of Old New England 
by Alice M. Earle, Dr. J. G. Davis' Historical Address of 1874, 
the files of the Farmers' Cabinet, and numerous historical pa- 



8 COLONIAL AMHKUST 

pers by different authors. Thanks are also due to the "Cabinet" 
for the use of several old cuts and pictures, to Philip S. Avery 
for drawings of buildings of which there were no existing 
views and to Lonis Fabian Bachrach for reproducing photo- 
graphs from old daguerreotypes, and to Amherst College for a 
photograph of Lord Jeffery Amherst. 

Many of the older and former residents of Amherst have 
rendered valuable assistance, both in supplying information 
and by the loan of family pictures and heirlooms for the illus- 
trations. The three chapters on "Geography and Geology of 
Amherst," "Life and Character of General and Lord Jeffery 
Amherst" and Reminiscences of the "Cricket Corner" and 
"Pond Parish" Districts, are by Prof. Warren Upham, archiol- 
ogist, of the Minnesota Historical Society and a native of Am- 
herst who has never lost his interest in the town. 

That this book may bring to its readers, and especially to 
the younger generations in Amherst, some of the love for the 
town and interest in its history which has been embodied in its 
writing is the sincere wish of 



EMMA B( JYLSTON LOCKE. 



Amherst, N. 11., IQl6. 




Paul Revere. 



Colonial Amherst 



It is not easy to realize that two hundred years ago these 
pleasant fields and hillsides were but one dense forest, through 
which roamed a race of men entirely distinct from our own. But 
so it was. 

Of the red men who ranged these forests but little can be said. 
The first settlers had rather to contend with, than to study them ; 
to shun rather than to court their knowledge or acquaintance. 

The tribe of the Pennacooks occupied the lands along the 
Merrimack river, Pennacook (Concord) and Amoskeag being 
their chief places of resort. 

Below these were the Nattacooks in the vicinity of the mouths 
of the Nashua and Souhegan rivers, and these were confederated 
with the Pennacooks, and all with the Pawtuckets, under the 
great Sachem, Passaconaway. 

These had planting grounds and fishing stations all along the 
Merrimack and its tributaries named, and also at Nattacook 
brook, just above Thorntons. Relics of these Indians have often 
been found along the banks of these various streams as also at 
the head of Babboosuck and upon the highland at the west of the 
town. 

There are traditions extant of engagements between the In- 
dians and the early settlers here. That the red-men gave the 
early settlers much trouble and alarm is evident from the fact 
that several garrison or block houses were provided, into which 
the settlers gathered at night for safety. 

These have all passed away, altho' the location of some is still 
known. It is also reasonably certain that the first settlers car- 
ried their firearms with them at all times, lest they should be sur- 
prised while unprotected. 

In 1686 these tribes disposed of all their lands lying in Dun- 
stable (which then extended north to the Souhegan) to Jonathan 
Tyng and others, for what they considered a fair and just re- 
muneration, and nearly all removed from the neighborhood. 

As we recall the oft-repeated story of injustice done to the 
red-men, it is a fact of much interest, that the territory we oc- 
cupy as a town was mostly, if not wholly, honorably purchased. 

it is also pleasant to recall that possibly Elliott, the great 
Apostle to the Indians, may have stood on the banks of our river, 



10 



COLONIAL AMHKUST 



and upon the shore of our own beautiful lake, and dispensed the 
word of life to a people now utterly extinct.* The tract of land 
called Narragansett No. 3, afterwards Souhegan West, included 
Milford, Mont Vernon, Munson, and what is now called Amherst. 

This land was given to officers and soldiers (or their legal 
heirs) who had fought in King Philip's War. There were about 
600 who survived, and to 120** was granted this land. 

( )nly one, "j" Joseph Prince of Salem became an actual settler 
here. 

The first meeting together of these uo men was held in 
Salem, Mass., July 17th, 1734. At this meeting a man was chosen 
to examine and make a correct survey of the land included in 
this grant. 




Site of First Log House in Amherst. 

Walton and Lamsonff were the names of the first settlers, 
and they built the first log house, on the old Melendy farm, a 
mile south of the village, on the road to Ponemah. 

Three lots of land were designated, one for the first settled 
minister, one for the church, and one for the school. 

As the new settlement was a long distance from the sea. it 
was hard to induce men to make their homes here. 

The first settlers had a hard time, they located upon places 
where a good supply of water could he found, they 1 milt shelters 
of logs or stones. True to the characteristics of the early New 

•Romance of New KiikI.'iiuI Churches in Public Library. 
**Names and Places pri^c 30 Secomb's History. 
t909 Secomb's History. 
tfPage 894 Secomb's History. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



11 



Englanders, wc find them, very soon, making plans for a meeting; 
house and parsonage, and a year later these were provided for, 
a school house was not then built. 

Still the work of improving the land went on, brush from the 
clearing was burned in hugh piles and potash made from the 
ashes ; rye and corn proved successful crops, growing abundantly 
among the stumps of the clearing. A saw mill was built, but 
they gave no encouragement for a blacksmith to settle, but one 
did come however, and perhaps it was he who wrote the follow- 
ing about the township : 

"A howling wilderness it was, where no man dwelt, the hideous 
yell of wolves, the shriek of owls, the gobbling of turkeys, and the 
barking of foxes, was all the music we heard." 

Grants were given to Richard Mower upon condition that he 
would build a house where he could take care of travellers, and 
that he would provide a ferry across the *Souhegan river. 

The first bridge over the river was built in the following year, 
1736. 




Site of the First Meeting House. 

( INSCRIPTION ON MARKER.) 

Here was erected the first meeting-house in Amherst. May 16. 1739; in 1771 given to the 
county for its court-house; removed to the plain in 1789. and there burned. A stone 
marker was placed June 17, 1910. 

At a meeting of the grantees Jan. 8th, 1735, it was voted that 
"the first sixty proprietors that shall and do, each of them, build 
and finish a dwelling house of 18 feet square, and 7 foot stud, and 
clear 2 acres of land fit for mowing or plowing, and actually live 
on the spot, and perform the same within three years from ye 
date hereof, they and each of them shall be entitled to and draw 
out ye said Proprietors' Treasury the sum of six pounds." 

*Souhegan means croooked in the Indian tongue. It's most ancient name was Souhe- 
genack. 



12 



COLONIAL AMIIKKST 



The proprietors were becoming a little impatient in regard 
to the meeting house — for at their first meeting at Chelmsford 
they voted that the committee to be chosen must get the meeting 
house hoarded and floors laid, the body seats made up, and pul- 
pit made, and doors made and hung as soon as can he. 

In Upper Flanders a stone at the cross roads marks the place 
where the first church stood; the building was a frame one, one 
tier of windows, clapboarded and painted and "in 1744 if there 
was not an Indian war the next fall, would be lathed and plas- 
tered." It had neither porch nor steeple. 

The church was regularly organized ( )ct. 22, 1741 when 
Daniel Wilkins, Samuel Lemon, Israel Towne, Samuel Lampson 
and Humphrey Hobbs subscribed to the covenant, six women 
wire admitted to the church membership immediately after the 
ordination. Deborah L,ancey was the first to he baptised in Sep- 
tember, 1742. 




Hildreth's Tavern (Jones Place). 



The minister, Rev. Daniel Wilkins, lived near by. Me sent a 
petition about this time to the Governor that the settlers wanted 
to enlarge their lands, that a good deal of money had been spenl 
building nice houses, barns and fences. I'm for Mr. Wilkins the 
settlement would have been abandoned. It was a trying time for 
the settlers, and a guard was provided. Powder ami bullets were 
given them with which In defend themselves from the Indians. 

The danger with the Indians continued for several years; 
another petition was sent to the Governor, (Wentworth) and 



COLONIAL AMHERST 13 

fifteen men were sent to stay several months, and it was at this 
time that the descendants of Mr. Ellenwood relate a story of his 
wife having seen Indians hiding about their house. She kept 
watch while the family were at their breakfast. This house 
stood where Miss Eliza Stearns lives now, and was either a gar- 
rison or a block house. 

Another garrison house was west of the old Jones house, in 
"Upper Flanders," on the side of the hill, where the settlers from 
the North parish used to stop on their way to the mill below. 
From the door of this house the elder Jones once shot an Indian. 
The Jones house was an Inn. In the broad fields in front many 
drills have been held. 

The Henchman house, which stood near where Mr. R. H. 
Prince's house now stands, was doubtless one. Another is known 
to have been upon the hillside, southeast of the farm of F. W. 
Holbrook. Another, at the place now occupied by Mr. Going, 
then one on the Melendy farm, and one on the Patch place, north- 




Boston Road Locking South, 

west of the village. The pile of stones was a play ground for the 
boys more than a hundred years ago, and named "The Castle." 
The early houses were built substantially of rough material, sel- 
dom more than a story high facing the South or North with ends 
to the East and West and were called "sun line" houses. 

Joseph Prince laid out the road from his own home to the 
first meeting house by following the sound of the hammers of 
the men at work on the first church. 

For some time he did not want to go to the block house at 
night, but he sprinkled ashes around his house, and found in the 
morning prints of Indian moccasins, so after that, he was more 
careful, and one Indian arrow whizzed by him, which he found 
later sticking in a tree. 

This is the same Joseph who held his commission of Lieut, 
under King George, and received from him the grant of land on 
which he settled. 



14 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Souhegan West passed from the authority of Massachusetts 
to New. Hampshire. The nun wanted to form a township and 
art together for the good of all. but the Governor would not yet 
grant this, and did not until twenty years later, in [760, when a 
'charter was granted, in the name of King George the Second, 
for the town of Amherst. The Township received its name from 
Lord Amherst, Commander of the British forces in the conquest 
of Canada. 

"Oh, Lord Jeffrey Amherst was a soldier of the King, 

And lie came from across the sea; 
To the Frenchmen and the Indians he didn't do a thing, 

In the wilds of this wild country. 
And for his royal majesty he fought with all his might 

For lie was a soldier hrave and true, 
And he conquered all the enemies that came within his sight, 

And he looked around for more when he was through. 
Chorus : 

Oh, Amherst, brave Amherst, 'twas a name known to fame in days 

of yore, 
May it ever be glorious 'till the sun shall climb the heav'us no 

more." t 

Amherst furnished several brave soldiers for the French and 
Indian War (1754) as well as men to the famous company of 
Rangers, so useful in scouring the woods, procuring intelligence, 
and skirmishing with detached parties of the enemy. 

The close of the French and Indian war was welcomed with 
joyous hearts although the enemy did not come nearer to Am- 
herst than Peterboro' and 1 Iillsboro". 

Amherst had been a thrifty settlement thirty-five years before 
it was incorporated. The first town meeting was called by Col. 
John Gotfe, named in the charter for that purpose. 

Col. Goffe's mother was saved, by hiding in a hogshead, in 
the cellar with her sister, when Indians attacked their house and 
killed father, mother, and older sister. 

( )ne of Col. Goffe's orders to his men of the New Hampshire 
Regiment, which went to Crown Point in [760, was. they must 
change their shirts twice a week. Those who have hair must 
keep it tyed, night caps must not he worn in the day time. Hats 
are to be all cocked or cut uniformly as Col. Goffe pleases to di- 
rect. 

In April, \y(>n, a town meeting was held "to see if the town 
would make choice of Rev. Daniel Wilkins, Pastor of the Church 
of Christ in Amherst, aforesaid for their minister. To see about 
salary, etc." 

*Page 49 SeCOinb History 

tTakeu from sxnir. of Class ol 1884 Amherst College 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



15 



This meeting was warned by the constable going from house 
to house. 

Rev. Wilkins was chosen "Town Minister," salary forty-seven 
pounds, ten shillings, ($211.00) and one half of the sum during 
his natural life, according as the price of corn and pork, shall 
rise and fall yearly. 

Daniel Wilkins was a student from Middletown, Conn., and 
was much liked by the people of the town. He had a good 
education and could chop down a tree as neatly as he could write 
a good sermon. He lived near his church in an unpainted, high 




The School House and Monument. 



and narrow house. His familv consisted of his wife and ten 
children, one of the sons kept the hrst store in the south-west 
corner of his father's house. The wife of Col. Levi Jones was 
the great grand-daughter of Rev. Wilkins. 

The first meeting, under the charter, was held at the meeting 
house, Feb. 20th, 1760, at ten o'clock, as mentioned in the char- 
ter. The inhabitants universally met, and with one contrary vote 
made choice of Solomon Hutchinson for Town Clerk. Col. John 
Goffe, Moderator, and a vote passed accepting the Charter. 



16 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



The following officers were elected: Solomon Hutchinson, 
Win. Bradford, Reuben Mussey, Joseph Gould and Thomas 
(.'lark, Selectmen ; Ebenezer Weston and Joshua Abbott, Consta- 
bles; David Hartshorn, Nathan Kendall, *Tything men; Benj. 
Taylor, Win. Lancy, Assessors; the Selectmen as fence viewers; 
Thomas Wakefield, clerk of the market ; Nathan Fuller, Ebenez- 
er Weston Jr., James Seetown, James Kolins, Howards or Field 
drivers; Joseph Steel, Joseph Prince, Win. Lancy, deerkeepers ; 
lames Seetown, Ephraim Abbott, Samuel Stuartt, Win. I.ancv. 




Babboosuck Lake. 



Andrew Bradford, Wm. Lang and Benj. Taylor, surveyors of 
highways; Thomas W'akeheld eommittee to examine "town ac- 
compts;" Selectmen as overseers of the poor; John Shepard Jr., 
surveyor of lumber. 

Until the year [768 the Judicial Courts had been held at Do- 
ver, and the people found it very hard to travel such a long dis- 
tance, so the Xew Hampshire Assembly decided to divide the 

•Tything men were officers to preserve good order in the church during divine service 
and to make c mplaint against any persons who were there found disorderly. They were 

annual .y elected. 



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18 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



territory of New Hampshire into five counties at this time. The 
Governor named them after English noblemen to whom he was 
attached, Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough and Grafton; 
Cheshire after the county of thai name in England. Great im- 
portance was attached to the privilege of the shire of the county, 
where the courts were held, and the jail was located in which to 
take care of the prisoners. 

Amherst came off the winner in the contest, and that event 
added to the importance and popularity of the town, and was 
made the shire town March [768. This act had to have the ap- 
proval of the Kini;. On March 14, [768 the town voted "to allow 
all those who had exerted themselves, at the election of the pre- 
vious fall, to have Amherst made a shire town, the sum of four 
pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence lawful money." 




The First Jail. 

Many men gathered at Amherst at Court time, people opened 
their homes to Judge and Jury, and looked forward to these 
times, the older people to meeting learned friends, the boys and 
girls with frightened interest to see the unloading of the prison- 
ers brought here for trial from Manchester. We wonder if 
Cy Converse, who lived at Upper Flanders, and was paid $7.00 
a year for ringing the town hell, was the one who pounded out 
this song with the tongue of the hell: — 

Lawyer, lawyer, come to court. 
Take a piece of bread and pork; 
Pork isn't done 
Take a piece of bread and run. 

The church was very prosperous and there was not room for 
all who wished to hi' seated, so in the year [769 a number of 
the citizens asked permission of the town to build suits on the 
beams of the meeting house, which was granted them. These 
beams were probably the unfinished gallery. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



19 



In the year 1771 the new church was begun. There was a 
good deal of discussion where it should be located, the people 
from the North parish did not want to travel any farther than 
before — but it was finally decided to place it on the training field. 
The building committee adopted the plan of the old North church 
in Concord, and Ephraim Barker was hired to do the work. The 
oaks from which the heavy timbers were cut had grown near the 
land where the church was built. The dimensions were 70 ft. 
from east to west and 40 ft. from north to south, the steeple fac- 
ing west, a porch sustaining it. A porch was on the east end. 
the high pulpit with the massive sounding board above it was on 
the north side with a window behind it. singing galleries were 
on the south side of the building over the main entrance, men's 




Taken from Belfry Looking South West. 



galleries were on the west, and the women's galleries on the 
east. The high pews, some six feet square, were in tiers, inter- 
sected by long, narrow aisles. The seating of the house was un- 
usual, as the more wealthy and prominent families occupied the 
pews directly in front of the pulpit. These were finished differ- 
ently from the others — instead of the lattice there were panels. 
In the east and west galleries were long free seats for the men 
apart, and the women apart, and the negroes apart. Beneath 
the pulpit front was a free seating for venerables — in front of 
this a long seat for the deacons, with its huge leaf that upturned 
for the Communion and Town Meetings. 

The passing of the congregation by the box on the table to 




Plan of Interior of Congregational Church. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 21 

deposit their contributions relieved the tedium of the long Sab- 
bath service. 

The seats in the pews, a half dozen in each pew, were made 
so as to turn up, and were always raised in prayer-time. There 
was always a rattle of these seats when the "Amen" came to a 
half-hour prayer. It was like the rattle of small arms on a mus- 
terfield at the word "fire." 

The tything men looked after boys and dogs very carefully. 

On the outside of the church were three paved walks running 
south to the road, from each entrance ; near the end of one stood 
a large rock which the people used as a mounting block. 

The house was so far completed that it was formally dedicat- 
ed to the public worship of God on the 19th day of January, 
1774, which date, curiously painted in gold, in old English let- 
ters, on a panel in front of the singers' gallery, opposite the pul- 
pit, has been, in bygone years, a puzzle to more than one of the 
younger members of the congregation. After the public ser- 
vices of the dedication at the meeting house, the visiting clergy- 
men were entertained at the home of Pastor Wilkins. While 
partaking of their dinner, of which hasty pudding and milk 
formed a part, the newly elected deacon, "Sam" Wilkins told 
them a funny story of trying to catch a sheep, which pleased 
the reverend fathers and "the pudding flew well." 

In those days there was no pipe organ but players upon in- 
struments. The town owned a bass viol, which was not sold un- 
til 1836. 

In the absence of any record of the history of church music, 
as the gift of song runs in families, we may assume that John 
Seatown, the first deacon of the name and fourth in order of 
election, was a leader under Pastor Wilkins. We should not 
err in asserting that he pitched the tunc and led in the psalm, 
standing in front and below the pulpit, as his son and successor 
in office did thirty-hve years afterwards. At that period "Stern- 
hold and Hopkins" or the "Bay State Collection of Psalm and 
Hymns" was used. One story survives, Pastor Wilkins and the 
singers had introduced a new hymn book (probably the incoming 
version of Dr. I. Watts) to which some of the congregation were 
opposed. 

The excitement was so great that a compromise was attempt- 
ed by using the new version only for the last tune, "when the 
opposers retired from the house, rather than hear the words of 
the devil." Mr. Wilkins "thought these persons did not know 
what they were opposing." He accordingly arranged an ex- 
change; and the new minister began with the new version and 
used it all day. At the last singing the disaffected hearers left 
the meeting as usual ; but when they learned, soon after, that 
they had heard the hated tunes all day without knowing it, the 



22 COLONIAL AMHERST 

opposition became so ludicrous that they were content to say 
no more about it." 

Nearly 50 years later, we read, "Feb. 21, [836: This day 
the Singing School taughl by Mr. James Aiken, nearly one hun- 
dred in numbers, took their seats in the singing pews." 

'This was in Dr. Lord's time, the singing pews were a coveted 
place— and when the ranks "were full the singing meant some- 
thing, with bass viol, violin and brazen instruments, and such 
voices as Benj. Kendrick's, Ambrose Scaton's, Mary Ooss' and 




The Interior of the Present Congregational Church. 

twenty others, male and female, the people could make melody in 
their hearts if they desired to." 

No Stove made the Sanctuary a place of warm delight; but 
the many little perforated fool stoves, and flannel-bound heated 
bricks, together with the very warm clothing worn, kept the 
parishioner- very comfortable. 

In the good old days the congregation remained standing 
until the minister passed out, he bowed and they bowed. There 
was a morning service at half past six on Sunday morning. 

Court was firsl held in the dwelling house, in 1771, of J. K. 
Smith, then in the first church, which became the property of 
the County. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



23 



The first case to be tried in the Superior Court in Amherst, 
in Sept 1773, was that of Israel Wilkins, who was tried for 
manslaughter. He pleaded "his clergy," which means he would 
give all his goods and chattels to the King, if they would spare 

^ The letter T was burned on the fleshy part of his left hand 
with a hot iron. T was the New Hampshire mark for stealing, 
and was used to denote a criminal. Years later a man was 
marked with the T on his forehead for stealing two pair of oxen. 
In 1775 began the eventful struggle which severed us from 
Great Britain, "and Amherst's record was a noble one. 




Middle Street. 



By the old militia law every male inhabitant, from sixteen to 
sixty, was obliged to be provided with a musket and bayonet, 
knapsack, cartridge-box, one pound of powder, twenty bullets 
and twelve Hints. Every town was obliged to keep in readiness 
one barrel of powder, two hundred pounds of lead and three hun- 
dred flints, for every sixty men; beside a quantity of arms and 
ammunition for the' supply of such as were not able to provide 
themselves with the necessary articles. Even those persons who 
were exempted from appearing at the common military trainings 
were obliged to keep the same arms and ammunition." 

Paul Dudley Sargent, Daniel Campbell and Benj. Kendrick 



24 COLONIAL AMHERST 

represented Amherst in the firsl convention "of the Committee 
of Safety"* held in Exeter, July 1774. In ( >ctober the three men 
were chosen delegates "to lake consideration of the grievance 
this country was supposed to lie under, and give them such in- 
struction as they shall think proper." 

This is the first record upon our town hooks of dissatisfac- 
tion with the British rule. 

These men were of good judgment, not hasty in their de- 
cisions, and were directed "to use their endeavor to secure and 
maintain peace and good order in the town and country, and ex- 
cite in the mind of people a due respect to all just measures that 
may he recommended by the present ('.rand Congress at Phila- 
delphia. And said Delegates are instructed to take copies of this 
vote from the clerk, and send to all the towns in this County, that 
they shall think necessary to constitute a County Congress, so 
the good ends aforesaid may be answered, grievances heard ; and 
remonstrate to such authority whose province it is to grant re- 
dress." 

The first County Congress was held in Amherstf and in a 
small hook in the Public Library is the history of those most 
important secret County conclaves held on the eve of the Revo- 
lution. Doubtless the patriotic sons of Amherst were true to the 
recommendation of this County Congress and did not fail to as- 
sociate together to "perfect themselves in the military art," dur- 
ing those few days that intervened ere the cry came from "the 
Massachusetts" to hasten to help them. Could chanticleer on 
the old church steeple tell of the stirring scenes of those few 
days, which he looked down upon, around the old Rock upon 
the training held, it would he a tale that would thrill all hearts. 
None remain to tell of them, and records and traditions are al- 
most as silent as the dead. 

Fighting not writing was the order of the daw and when the 
battle was fought, and the victory won, so glorious was the re- 
sult, that it overshadowed the minor details and the)" disap- 
peared. 

The fathers told them to their children, and they to theirs, 
hut a hundred and more years have consigned those unrecorded 
to forget fulness. 

The Selectmen, acting upon a suggestion of the Grand Con- 
gress "to provide for every emergency," fearing that a rupture 
with the I'.ritish C.ovcrnmcnt might deprive them of some of the 
necessaries of lift', procured a large quantity of salt, at their own 
risk. The town voted thai three months' time he given the Se- 
lectmen to sell their salt to the inhabitants of this town, and if 
not all sold to assess the town for what remained on hand. 

•Record of names copied from the original bj Daniel Secouib, framed in Public library, 
tCounty Congresses 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



25 



Great Britain dissolved our Government. The voice of the 
people -was heard through committees and conventions which 
sat at Exeter. To these bodies, Amherst at this juncture, sent 
three trusty Whigs: Sargent afterwards of Maine, Kendrick the 
grandsire of Franklin Pierce, and Daniel Campbell. 

But a single Loyalist dwelt here and he was subjected to un- 
just treatment because the inhabitants of the town were so ar- 
dent in the cause of Liberty. When the "cloud broke" they were 
ready. Immediately upon the receipt of the news of the attack 
at Lexington, a company of soldiers marched for the scene of 




SOLDIERS' 
MONUMENT 
at top, erected 
in 1 87 1 . 



26 COLONIAL AMHKIIST 

action, under the command of Capt. Josiah Crosby, arriving there 
the day following. They were true nun and did good service in 
the opening scenes of thai eventful struggle which resulted in 
our independence. 

"To a man they wort.' small clothes, coming down and fasten- 
ing just below the knee, and long stockings, with cowhide shoes 
ornamented with large buckles, while not a pair of boots graced 
the whole company. 

" Plic coats and waistcoats were loose and of large dimensions, 
with colors as various as the barks of oaks, sumach and other 
trees of our hills and swamps could make them, and their shirts 
were all made of flax, and like every other part of the dress were 
home made. 

"( )n their heads was worn a large round-topped and broad- 
brimmed hat. 

''Their arms were as various as their costumes. Here an old 
soldier carried a heavy Queens' arm with which he had done 
service at the Conquest of Canada twenty years before, while by 
hi-, side walked a stripling boy, with a Spanish-fusee not half 
its weight or calibre, which his grandfather may have taken at 
Havana, while a few had old French pieces, that dated back to 
the reduction of Louisburg. 

"Instead of the cartridge box, a large powder horn was slung 
under the- arm, and occasionally a bayonel might be seen brist- 
ling in the rank. 

"Some of the swords of the officers had been made by our 
own blacksmiths, perhaps from some farming utensils; they 
looked serviceable but heavy and uncouth." 

Such was the appearance and equipment of the Continentals, 
to whom so often and finally, so completely, the well armed, dis- 
ciplined and uniformed soldiers of "Mis Majesty" were com- 
pelled to surrender. 

Within two years from this time, with a population of but 
142S, Amherst had furnished one hundred and twenty fighting 
men. In the first four years twenty-two had been killed in bat- 
tle, or died in service. 

Just to give you an idea of what sturdy stuff Amherst men were 
made, and what they endured, permit me to tell you the story of one 
of them. 

He was just an ordinary man, not distinguished, and many of you 
never heard his name. It was Thomas Maxwell. When only fifteen 
years old, lie was in the Ranger serviee, and for nine years suffered 
the terrible dangers of that brave hand, part of the time under the 
command of Rogers and Stark. He was one of Ifoger's company on 
that almost superhuman march from Crown Point, through hundreds 
of miles of unbroken wilderness, to the Indian village of St. Francis, 
followed by a large band of French and Indians, close on their heels. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



27 



He crept, with others, into that Indian village in the night and helped 
to kill 200 Indian warriors. He accomplished that wonderful return 
to the Ammonusuc, during which journey men ate their belts, their 
moccasins and even their soaked up powder horns, to keep alive; all 
this when only a boy of 17 years. 

He came to Amherst in 1764, and began driving an ox team to Bos- 
ton, carrying the produce and returning with various supplies. After 
one of these long and arduous journeys, he arrived in Boston in De- 
cember 1778. He did considerable business with John Hancock, who 
knew him as a ranger. On this occasion, after some conversation 
about his load, Hancock said: "Do you want to see some sport tonight? 
If you do, put up your team in my stable and come to this ware house 




Stone with Ring from Jail. 



after dark." Maxwell, always ready for an adventure, did as he was 
told and later in the evening, painted and befeathered as an Indian, 
helped to unload that famous cargo of tea into Boston harbor. On an- 
other visit to Boston, in April 1775, he had returned as far as his 
sister's in Bedford, where he was spending the night. His sister's hus- 
band was Jonathan Wilson, in command of the Bedford Minute Men. 

During the night they heard "A hurry of hoofs in the village 
street." 

They saw "A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark" and knew 
"That the fate of a nation was riding that night." 

He was asked to accompany the Bedford men, and gladly accepted, 
went "well armed" and you may be sure that more than one "red 
coat" rolled in the dust as the result of this ranger's niarskmanship. 

In the fight ('apt. Wilson was killed. Maxwell returned to Bed- 
ford, hired a man to take home his team, and repaired to Cambridge, 
where the Amherst Company, of which he was second lieutenant, short- 



28 COLONIAL AMIIFRST 

ly arrived. On June IT, 177f>, he was one of the brave men who crossed 
Charlestown Neck under fire. In that figlit, history says that he lost 
"one fine shirt and one powder horn." 

After the evacuation of Boston by the British, in 1776, Maxwell 
marched with the army to Providence and New York and from thence 
to Canada and back to Crown Point and Ticonderoga. In December, 
1776, he with his regiment joined the army under Gen. Washington 
and he was in those famous battles at Trenton and Princeton. In 1777 
he was in the battle at Hubbardston, Vt, where the British so badly 
whipped the Americans. He also took part in the battles of Penning- 
ton, Bemis Heights, and Saratoga. In 1778 he was employed in the 
ranger service in Central New York and was in the battle of Stony 
Arabia. A year later, 1779, he was with Gen. Sullivan in his expedi- 
tion against the hostile Indians in Central New York. For a few years 
Mr. Maxwell turned to ways of peace and resided with his family at 
Buckland, Mass. During this time he was chosen a member of the 
Convention that framed the Constitution of Massachusetts. 

In 17S7 the war spirit was again roused and he became captain of 
a company to suppress Shay's Rebellion in western Massachusetts. 

The tireless energy of the old pioneer possessed him and in 1800 
at th age of 58, lie moved to Ohio and engaged in farming. Twelve 
years later, at the age of seventy, when it seemed as though lie had 
given enough for his country, he again shouldered a musket and join- 
ing the army under Gen. Hull, marched to Detroit, where he was taken 
prisoner. After his release upon parole he returned home; then his 
house was burned by a mob that accused him of having advised the 
surrender of Hull. This would have soured the patriotism of most 
men, but in 1813, he again joined the army under Harrison, and in 1814, 
seventy-two years old, served under Gen. Miller at Chippewa, Lundy 
Lane and Fort Erie. 

Near the latter place he was once more taken prisoner by the Brit- 
ish, who treated him with great severity. Me was exchanged in March 
1814, and returned to his home, where lie died at the good old age of 
ninety-two. 

During the war. the Selectmen paid out of the town treasury 
nearly $i<S,ooo to our own soldiers. Brave Crosby with Ins com- 
pany, fought and bled at Bunker Mill. Nichols commanded a 
regimenl at Bennington. Gallanl Bradford led his company and 
rendered signal service upon that field. 

The town voted Sept. 15th. 1774 to build a powder house on 
the cast side of the burying ground for tin- purpose of securing 
the town's stock of ammunition. It was built of chestnut logs 
hewn. 1 2 in. thick, lathed and plastered on the outside, was 10 ft. 
square with pointed roof, h was used for more than 30 years, 
then removed. 

That event which is annually celebrated in our country as 
the birthday of the nation, was proclaimed by Moses Kelly, Esq., 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



29 



the Sheriff of the County, with beat of drum from the Rock* 
on the training field, on the [8th of July, 1776. A list of those 
who were killed or died in the Revolutionary war from the Bat- 
tle of Bunker Hill to Nov. 1779 was prepared by Robert B. Wil- 
kins, a lieutenant in the army, and published in the Farmers' 
Cabinet, in 1829. 

^ Capt. Luther Dana, in 1785, asked leave to build a store for 
"Traiding" in the training field, but the town refused the request. 
Out of this request, probably soon after this date, orignated 
the building known as the "< )ld Read Store." It was situated 
a few feet southeast of where the Soldiers' Monument now is, 
a square building of two stories. An outside stairwav on the 
east side of the building, led to what was called the Baptist hall. 
The building was painted, had a green door, ami thick shutters 
to the windows, which were painted red and lettered. 




The Powder House. 

I11 1783, eleven years before the incorporation of the town of 
Milford, the "Southwest Parish" voted to build a new meeting 
house, and raised 95 pounds for boards and timbers. They de- 
cided March 2nd, 1784 to locate it near the river at a point 
where there was room between a couple of big stumps. A year 
later the Parish had its meeting house, but what a building it 
must have been, one story, no clapboards, no shingles, no win- 
dow frames or glass, no belfry, no pews, no floor. 

The money for the church came slowly, but doors, windows, 
floor, ceiling, clapbords, pews and galleries all came in time. 

In 1794 the S. W. Parish was incorporated as Milford, and 
eight years later a bell was hung in the new belfry of their 
meeting house. 

* Before the old meeting house was moved, there was a large stone or horse block in front 
which was thought to disfigure it. but objections were made to its removal, till the build- 
ing of the Court house, then David Means was chosen Highway Surveyor for the Common, 
and had the stone severed and removed to help make underpinning for the present Town 
House. 



30 



COLONIAL AMIILRST 



The year [783 was made memorable by the dose of the Rev- 
olutionary War. 

In September Articles of ] 'eace between ( ireal I Sritain and the 
United Stales were' signed at Paris by which the Independence 
of the states was acknowledged by the Mother Country.. 

The year [789 was distinguished for the adoption of the Fed- 
eral Constitution. 

The Convention that framed it. had before the (lose of the 
previous year, sent it to the several States for their ratification. 




AMHERST ASSEMBLY, 



Capt. Danas Halh 



Admit ^/7jf?^//<x^Y *}%*** t^» ic*~*^ to 

thf Aksfmth.v nn tT'^t^lyc* 0^ evening next 



the Assembly on 
at 6 o'clock. 




, R. H. FRENCH, Secretary 
^McXsU^L^ A. D. 1 



1807. 



6S<5«3-0^f 




The approval of nine States was necessary and eighl had ap- 
proved previous to the anion of New Hampshire. Consequently 
great interest attached thereto. 

Having been referred to this Town for their action Jan. 1st. 
\niherst chose a talented committee to examine the Constitution 
and report to the town. 

|an. 151I1. this committee reported unanimously "not to rec- 
ommend the adoption of the Constitution in its present form." 
The Town therefore voted "not to approve of said Constitution 
as il now stands." 

lion, foshua Atherton was chosen to represent the Town in 
the Convention to acl upon its adoption at Exeter in February. 
Mr. Atherton opposed on several counts but especiall) on ac- 
count of its supposed recognition of Slaver) and its permitting 
the -lave trade to continue until [808. On this clause, m the 
firsl Article of the Constitution, he made a speech, which was 



'Page I ' Farmers Historj of Amherst. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



31 



almost the only one made in that Convention*, which has been 
preserved, and which is doubly interesting from the circum- 
stance that the records of the Convention are lost. 

As the discussion progressed the result became so doubtful, 
that the friends of the Constitution fearing an immediate decision, 
secured an adjournment of the Convention until June, when it 
reassembled at Concord. 

In the meanwhile the people had fully discussed its pro- 
visions, their objections had in many cases been overcome, and 




South West Parish Church. 

(Present Eagle Hall, Milford.) 

on coming together, but four days were needed to complete the 
work. 

The Constitution was adopted by a majority of eleven. 

The proceedings of this Convention excited an interest sur- 
passing that of every other deliberative body ever held in the 
State, and the result was received with general satisfaction, in 
many places with demonstration and joy. 

The Town, in I/8S, voted to grant 80 pounds toward the 
erection of a new court house. Its erection, location, form and 
figure were referred to a committee and the Selectmen of the 
town. 



32 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



The second court house was built just northwest of the wat- 
ering trough at the cast end of the common. 

After the brick court house was built in [825 the old build- 
ing was moved to where it now stands on Foundry St. Near its 
original location on the common were the whipping post and 
pillory. 

In the second court house was heard the magic eloquence of 
Jeremiah Mason, Levi Woodbury, the elder Atherton, Sullivan, 
l.ivcnuorc, and other noted jurists. Daniel Webster also made 
his maiden argument here before Judge Farrar, of which the 
learned Judge said : 

"That young man's statement is a most unanswerable argu- 
ment." .,.5 , 

Many other gifted minds have received development, and 
many displays of talent have been witnessed in this old building. 




Second Court House. 



Writer's First Plea. 

When Daniel Webster and his brother Ezekiel were boys, they 
were greatly annoyed one year by the ravages of the squirrels, and 
traps were set to catch them. Ezekiel broughl the first capture to Hi'' 
house in triumph, and boylike, eager to kill him at once as a punish- 
nn nt tor his misdeeds, or to make him a prisoner tor life in a cage; 
but Daniel would consent to neither sentence. He wanted to set the 
poor frightened little creature free. The dispute waxed warm, and the 
boys appealed to their father. 

He proposed to hold a court and have the squirrel tried, Ezekiel 
appearing for the prosecution. Daniel for the defense. This was a 
grand idea. The court was organized in the family sitting room with 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



33 



father on the bench. Ezekiel did his very best. He enlarged upon 
the iniquities of the squirrel and the necessity for punishment, and 
supposed he had covered the whole ground. But Daniel rose, his 
young face lighted with enthusiasm, and his young heart full of pity 
for the helpless creature for whose life he was to plead. Boy as he 
was he poured out such a flood of eloquent speech on the beauty and 
worth of life even to a squirrel, on the great wrong of imprisonment 
for an unconscious offense, and on the charm of freedom, that when 
he sat down his hearers wiped the tears from their eyes. The prose- 
cutor was the first to deliver the little prisoner, and Daniel and Ezek- 
iel set no more traps. 




Rev. Daniel Wilkins' Marker. 



Washing-ton was elected President in 1789 and served two 
terms, until 1797, when he was followed by John Adams serving 
one term. In the autobiography of one of our townsmen, he re- 
calls when a boy seeing Washington in Springfield, Mass.. in 
1789. 

Washington was then on a visit to the Arsenal, where his 
commanding appearance attracted the attention of all. especially 
the boys. 

His cocked hat, from under which protruded the staid ear- 



34 



COLONIAL AMHKRST 



locks, and the stately tie-behind, powdered white as snow in the 
ancient style, were perfectly remembered. 

As he walked around among the stacks of glistening small 
arms, and the big guns in the public stores, he was closely beset 
by the hoys, who intently gazed in his face, eagerly catching 
every word, and gleam of his benignant countenance for future 
remembrance. 

As an appendage to the cavalcade which escorted him, the 
boys rode on canes and sticks following the procession, delighted 
as any in their part of the grand exhibition, shouting, "We've 
seen him. we've seen George Washington." 

That portion of the town set off as Mont Vernon in [802, was 




North West Parish. 

( Present Town I louse. Mont Vernon) 

in 1781 the Second or Northwest Parish of Amherst. Soon 
after the organization of the church. Rev. Mr. Coggin of Chelms- 
ford, Mass.. preached to a large congregation in Major Cole's 
barn, on the importance of erecting, without delay, a house of 
worship; an undertaking of no small difficulty, amid the pe- 
cuniary stress of these Revolutionary days. The sermon, how- 
ever, was decidedly effective. 

( >n the following April, each farmer in the settlement not 
only contributed freely his quota of timber, which, according to 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



35 



the fashion of those times, was timber with a witness, both in 
dimensions and weight, but they drew it quite the last of the 
month, on a depth of iee-crusted snow, above which neither fence 
nor wall was visible. Fifty-four persons constituted the Second 
Parish in 1781." 

A lot of land was given by Lieut. James Woodbury, the church 
was built without delay, and Rev. John Bruce became their set- 
tled minister in November 1785. 160 members were added to 
the church during his pastorate of 25 years. 

In 1837 the church was moved to the west side of the street, 
remodelled and furnished with a bell and an organ — it is now the 
Town house, a beautiful new church having been built opposite 
the old one. 

The Aurean Academy 
was projected in 1789, and 
incorporated a year later. 

The town voted to allow 
them the use of the court 
house, when not needed for 
holding courts or town 
meeting, and that the pro- 
prietors need not pay 
school taxes, as long as 
they supported the Acad- 
emv and kept the court 
house in repair. 

In 1790 the town had be- 
come the centre of a large 
and lucrative trade. I he 
population reaching 2369, 
among whom were t,t, col- 
Half of Aurean Academy Building, ored persons. 

This picture is the stone which has been erected by Miss 
McKean to the memory of her forbears : 

Daniel Prior 

1 760-1808 

Abigail 

Nathaniel Woodbury 

1 729-1823 

Elizabeth Butter 

I/S8-1^22 

N. W. Gardner 

1793-1815 

Mary Woodbury 

1776-1854 

Andrew Woodbury 

- 1 806 





36 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



L*]> to i7<)i there had been no official post office. Two or 
three weeks were generally necessary for a letter to pass from 
Philadelphia to the holders of New Hampshire, and as all or- 
ganized means of spreading intelligence were confined to a small 
area along the sea coast, the inhabitants of the interior were 
dependent upon chance for their facilities for communication. 

To remedy these evils, the Legislature passed a law estab- 
lishing four post routes in and through the interior of the state. 
Post offices were established at various places, Amherst being 
one. 




One of the First Soapstone Stoves Made in Amherst. 

Each post rider performed his route once in two weeks. The 
postage, which was six pence for every forty mile-, and four 
pence for a less distance went to the post rider.-, and post masters 
were allowed to charge two pence to be advanced on every let- 
ter and package which passed through their offices. Dr. Samuel 
Curtis was appointed to have charge of tin- office at Amherst, 
which was in the tavern kepi by him south of the common. 

One of the routes was from Portsmouth to Keene through 
Exeter. Londonderry and Amherst. All mail matter for the 
Comity was forwarded to ami delivered at this office. 

In 1800 a stringent law was passed for better observance of 
tin' Sabbath, giving tything men power to ship all persons trav- 
elling 011 that day, and severe penalties were imposed on those 
breaking the law. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



37 



The law and the tything men were thus very unpopular 
among the young folks. 

The accession of Thomas Jefferson to the Presidency, the 
4th of March 1801, was noticed hy the discharge of cannon, 
ringing of the bell, and a public dinner at Mr. Watson's hall, at 
which the Selectmen, Representative, and a large number of citi- 
zens were present. The "Messenger" said "Decency and har- 
mony prevailed throughout the whole entertainment." 

1 Hiring the dinner, however, two boys went into the belfry 
and tolled the bell. 

The enraged Jeffersonians left the hall, and surrounded the 
church, compelling the boys to surrender. 

They gave as the reason for their prank that they were duly 
noticing the decease of Adams' administration. 

Amherst in 1805 was the busiest place of all the towns of the 
interior of New Hampshire. It was more important than Con- 
cord and of larger mercantile business than any other towns 
of the state, saving Portsmouth and Exeter. It was located at 
the terminal of the Second N. H. Turnpike, and was for many 
years the most important business point between Windsor, Vt., 
and the seashore. Its traders did a thriving business, not only 
with the other towns of the County, but with the farmers from 
the northern part of the State and Vermont, many of whom came 
to Amherst to exchange their products for groceries and other 
needed family supplies. 

In 1805 an elegant church clock was presented to the Town 
by Perkins Nichols, (a brother of Gen. Moses Nichols) and 
placed on the front of the gallery, opposite the pulpit, where it 
remained till the remodelling of the house, when it was removed 
to the Town Hall below, and is now doing duty in the present 
Town Hall, bearing upon its face the name of its generous giver. 

The attention of the citi- 
zens being called to the 
need of some better securi- 
ty against fire, the small 
engine, the Yankee, was 
bought in 1808 and for 
many years was housed in 
the meeting house horse 
sheds. 

It was originally a buck- 
et tub, the tank being filled 
with water by a line of peo- 
ple who passed the buck- 
ets of water from one to 
another until the tank was 
reached, then it was pump- 
The Yankee. ed to the fire. 




38 



COLONIAL AMHHRST 




Sonic years ago a suction connection was added. 
The first Company to man the Yankee, more than a hundred 
years ago, consisted of Roberl Means. Chas. II. Atherton, Dan- 
iel Weston, Capt. Eli Brown, Win. \<vvA, Capt. Daniel Trior, 
Win. Fiske, James Roby, David Stewart and John Shepard. 

This is probably the oldest tub in actual service in the United 
States. 

The motto painted on its first buckets was, "lie swift to do 
good." The motto of its original Company was "We will en- 
deavor.'" 

A new engine was purchased in 
[859 ami named Lawrence No. 2 
in honor of one of the donors. The 
year following the house owned 
by Robert Read, hut occupied by 
A. Lawrence was burned, and it 
was a singular and sad incident 
that the first lire with which the 
new engine should have to contend, 
and unsuccessfully, should have 
consumed the home of its name- 
sake. 
Nathaniel Woodbuiy. 

In [812 the present town clock was purchased and placed in 
position. It was built in the shop of Thomas Woolson Jr., the 
work being done by Luther Elliott. 

In [812 Amherst was again called on for men to fight against 
England. About 15 from Amherst and vicinity responded to the 
call. 

In [814 there was intense excitement all through the country 
as the news spread of the taking of the National Capital, and the 
burning of the White I louse by the British forces. Portsmouth 
was threatened, and this greatly added to the excitement in this 
Slate. 

By orders from Gov. Gilmore men were drafted immediately 
10 defend Portsmouth, hut in a short time they returned home, 
without having felt the enemy's lead or seen aught of the Gov- 
ernment's silver. 

With what joy the announcement of the Treaty of Ghent 
was received will he best told in the words of the old "Cabinet" 
on the occasion : 

"< >n the arrival of the joyful news in the town it was an- 
nounced in the Court of Common Pleas sitting here, when the 
Chief Justice immediately adjourned the Court, and the joy of 
the people burst forth in the usual demonstrations of gladness 
1>\ repeated cheering, ringing of the bell, and hring of cannon, 
which was continued through the day." 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



39 



No general celebration of the event is recorded as occurring 
here, our citizens uniting with those of neighboring towns in 
such' an observance at Milford, which was one of much spirit, 
Rev. Humphrey Moore being the orator of the day. 




John Farmer. 



In May 1819, John 
Farmer, Esq., then resi- 
dent here, published "An 
Historical Sketch of Am- 
herst," a second edition 
followed in 1837. The man- 
uscript is in the Public Li- 
brary. 

Dr. Farmer's dress was 
most curious. In the warm- 
est days of summer, for an 
upper garment, he often 
wore a flowing gown of 
calico. His general cos- 
tume was a coat of blue 
broadcloth with brass but- 
tons, according to the cus- 
tom of the day, and a vest 
of the same material and 
color, but he could adorn 
himself for an occasion 
with one of buff or pure 
white. 



His pantaloons, too, were sometimes of "a lighter hue, but 
dark blue prevailed, a happy circumstance, as quite frequently 
an unfortunate spot on the right side was compelled to submit 
to a few smart strokes from the point of a refractory or untidy 
pen. About his neck he wore an ample white cravat neatly tied 
in front. Then let the feet be covered with boots of calf-skin 
soft as morocco, and the head with a high shining hat, and you 
have the whole costume of the man. 

In 1820, under a new law, soldiers who served in the Wars 
and had received pensions, were obliged to prove anew their 
claims, and Fourth of July found about one hundred and forty 
of the "Ancient and Honorables" attending the Court which was 
here that day for that purpose. The grotesque appearance of 
these veterans and heroes of the Revolution awakened the feel- 
ings of all who beheld them, bowed down with infirmities, 
pinched with poverty, and worn out with the labors of life, their 
claims to National gratitude seemed stamped in their faces. 
Some of them had not seen each other since the war, and they 



40 



COLONIAL AMHKRST 



were seen sitting in groups "fighting those battle over again of 
'olden days'." 

At noon recess they marched around the plain, Captain 
Zaccheus Walker of [pswich their leader, the man on his right 
being ninety-nine years of age, who marched like a man of fifty. 
A drum and life played by some of their own numbers was their 
music. They also marched to the house of 1 Ion. Clifton Claggett 
to express their gratitude to him as their Representative in 
Congress. 

In [823 a new County, Merrimack, was formed, taking many 
towns from Hillsborough County, thereby reducing the legal 
business transactions in Amherst. 

The brick court house, now our Town house, was built in 





P ff r r " 


"*'°] 1 ' 


-.- L Jr. Z i 




mm***^ _j 



Court House. 

this year by the liberal subscriptions of citizens. ( )f this we can 
find no record except that the town relinquished all the right they 
had in the old court house to the committee for building the new 
one, their share of the proceeds of the sale of the house to be ex- 
pended 011 or about the new house, and to be entered on the sub- 
scription paper as the subscription of the town of Amherst to- 
ward the erection of the new court house. 

Before the second meeting house was moved, there was a 
large -torn or horse block in front, which was thought to dis- 
figure it, but objections were made to its removal, till the build- 
ing of the court house, then David Means was chosen Highway 
Surveyor for the Common, and had the stone severed and re- 
moved to help make the underpining for the present Town house. 

A daily "accommodation carriage" was first run in May, be- 
tween Amherst and Dunstable, Mondays passing through Mil- 
ford, Wednesdays through Mollis, intersecting the stages be- 



COLONIAL AMHERST 41 

*m \ 

tween Concord and Boston, thus first giving communication with 

these places. . 

The first bell was boughl by the Parish m 1793 and was 
rung at 9 o'clock each evening, at the town's expense. It was 
cracked in use, and was exchanged for a larger one, which was 
brought to the village and raised from the wagon by the wind- 
lass at the hay scales. But it was struck once too often, and 
was changed for a third, which was also cracked, and again 
changed for the present bell in [839. 

In 1825, a Rifle Company was organized in Amherst, and 
took the name of the "Lafayette Riflemen," in honor of the Na- 
tion's guest. It became one of the most noted corps of the 
state, and was well sustained for thirty years. 




Court House Road. 

From 1787 to 1794 the militia of Amherst was divided into 
four companies; one in the north-west parish, one in the south- 
west parish, and two, the "East" and the "West" in the first 
parish. After the incorporation of Milford and Mont Vernon, 
the "East" and "West" Companies alone remained in Amherst. 
On the formation of the Lafayette Rifle Company in r825, the 
"West" Company was disbanded, leaving "< )ld East" the only 
infantry companv in town. 

Extract from an address given by Daniel Webster, at the 
laying of the corner stone of Bunker Hill Monument. June 17th, 
1825, half a century from the day of the battle and on the 
ground where Warren fell : 



42 



COLONIAL AMHRKST 



"The great event in the history of the Continent, which we are now 
met here to commemorate; that prodigy of modern times, at once the 
wonder and the blessing of the world, is the American revolution. In 
a day of extraordinary prosperity and happiness, of high national 
honour, distinction, and power, we arc brought together, in this place, 
by our love of Country, by our admiration of exalted character, by our 
gratitude for signal services and patriotic devotion. 

The Society, whose organ 1 am, was formed for the purpose of 
rearing some honourable and durable monument to the memory of 
the early friends of American independence. They have thought, that, 
for this object, no time could be more propitious than the present 
prosperous and peaceful period; that no place could claim preference 
over this memorable spot; and that no day could be more auspicious 
to the undertaking than the anniversary of the battle which was here 
fought. The foundation of that monument we have now laid. With 
solemnities suit to the occasion, with prayers to Almighty God for His 




The Old Stage. 



blessing and in the midst of this cloud of witnesses, we have begun 
the work. We trust it will be prosecuted; and that, springing from 
a broad foundation, rising high in massive solidity, and unadorned 
grandeur, it may remain, as long as Heaven permits the work of man to 
last, a fit emblem, both of the events in memory of which it is raised, 
and of the gratitude of those who have raised it. 

"We know, indeed, that the record of illustrious actions is most 
safely deposited in the universal remembrance of mankind. 

"We know, that, if we could cause this structure to ascend, not 
only till it reaches the skies, but till it pierced them, its broad sur- 
faces could still contain but part of that, which, in an age of know- 
ledge, hath already been spread over the earth, and which history 
charges itself witli making known to all future times. 

"We know that no inscription, on entablatures less broad than the 
earth itself, can carry information of the events we commemorate 



COLONIAL AMHKRST 43 

where it has not already gone; and that no structure, which shall not 
outlive the durations of letters and knowledge among men, can pro- 
long the memorial. 

But our object is, by this edifice, to show our own deep sense of 
the value and importance of the achievements of our ancestors; and, 
by presenting this work of gratitude to the eye, to keep alive similar 
sentiments, and to foster a constant regard for the principles of the 
revolution. 

"Human beings are composed not only of reason, but of imagina- 
tion, also, and sentiment; and that is neither wasted nor misapplied, 
which is appropriated to the purpose of giving right direction to sen- 
timents, and opening proper springs of feeling in the heart. Let it not 
be supposed, that our object is to perpetuate national hostility, or 
even to cherish a mere military spirit. It is higher, purer, nobler. We 
consecrate our work to the spirit of national independence, and we 
wish that the light of peace may rest upon it forever. We rear a me- 
morial of our conviction of that unmeasured benefit, which has been 
conferred on our own land, and of the happy influences, which have 
been produced, by the same events, on the general interests of man- 
kind. We come, as Americans, to mark a spot which must forever be 
dear to us and our posterity. We wish, that whosoever in all coming 
time shall turn his eye hither may behold that the place is not un- 
distinguished, where the first great battle of the revolution was fought. 
We wish, that this structure may proclaim the magnitude and impor- 
tance of that event, to every class and every age. We wish, that in- 
fancy may learn the purpose of its erection from maternal lips, and 
that weary and withered age may behold it, and be solaced by the 
recollection which it suggests. 

We wish, that labour may look up here and be proud in the midst 
of its toil. We wish, that in those days of disaster, which, as they 
come on all nations, must he expected to come on us also, desponding 
patriotism may turn its eyes hitherward, and be assured that the 
foundations of our national powers still stand strong. We wish, that 
this column rising towards heaven among the pointed spires of so 
many temples dedicated to God, may contribute also to produce, in 
all minds, a pious feeling of dependence and gratitude. We wish, 
finally, that the last object on the sight of him who leaves his native 
shore, and the first to gladden his who revisits it, may be something 
which shall remind him of the liberty and the glory of his country. 
Let it rise, till it meet the sun in his coming; let the earliest light of 
the morning gild it, and parting day linger and play on its summit." 

In 1830 the Town required all dwellings to be supplied with 
fire buckets and ladders, the fireward to appear at all fires with 
''a staff" six feet long, painted red, surmounted with a brass 
spire. Some of them arc still in the town. The little Yankee did 
good work in helping save the old brick, when Hugh Moore's 
watch shop was in the northwest corner of the building. 



44 



COLONIAL AMIIKKST 



The farm once owned by the Town for the care of its poor 
was bought in [830. Ii was on the south side of the Souhegan 
River, being a portion of the granl made in individuals l>\ the 
General Court of Massachusetts "at a place called by tin- ln 
dians Quohquinapassakessarrahrroy, known in historj as the 
'Souhegan Farms'." Fire and losses decided the Town to give up 
a Town Farm some years later. 

In the year [835 the Congregational Society bought the 
church of the Town for less than $100.00. 

The present Baptist Meeting Mouse was built by the Unitar- 
ians and Universalists, "raised June 9th, [835, without accident 
and without rum." The Baptisl Society look it and refitted it 
in 1879. Some of the years they held their meetings in the hall 
of the Read store. 




Alfred Little. 



The Methodist Chapel was huilt in [839 and 40, and rebuilt 
in 1N70. 

The Congregational Chapel was erected in [858. It is kept in 
repair by the income of the legacy from Dea. A. Lawrence. 

[835. This was tin' birthday of Railroads in New England. 
The Boston and Lowell connected with a steamer plying be- 
tween Lowell and Nashua, on the river, which in turn connected 
with a coach from Nashua, which passed twice each way daily. 

A survey was made and a straight, level and eligible route 
found, and hopes were high of Amherst being connected with 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



45 








1^1 ^-1 


!SSHi^^^-»--"- 


fife' /^*L*S.fi*3 






up 





46 



COLONIAL A. Ml I LUST 



Boston directly, but [916 finds Amhersl village without this rail- 
road. In the manuscript history of Edward I). Boylston there 
is one chapter of "Amherst Railroads" from the "Souhegan" 
with its iron purchased, that never was used, to the "Mont Ver- 
non Electric" flash and fizzle. 

[836. The Congregational Church was moved, the repair- 
ing being superintended by Jonathan Knight. It was occupied 
the first Sunday in January. 

[838. The brick school house at the west end of the Com- 
mon was built. 

In 1S4 1 the art of taking daguerreotypes was introduced into 
Amherst by K. D. Boylston. There are in this volume copies of 
the pictures of children, taken by this process. 




While firing the evening salute of Fourth of July 1861, the 
noted old iron six pounder, which for many years was a bone 
of contention between the boys of Milford and Amherst, was 
hurst into four pieces, leaving aboul a foot of the breach intact. 
No one was injured. The history of this gun is unwritten; it 
was here before the present century, it was probably purchased 
by a subscription of the members of the first Artillery Company 
residing in different towns. Tradition says it was first fired in 
the night, creating great alarm anion- those not knowing of its 
presence, giving the people the impression that an earthquake 
had occurred, though ("ten. Nichols assured his wife that the 
concussion had quite a different sound. The old "being dead 
yet speaketh." For its antiquit) it was worthy of being pre- 



COLONIAL AMHERST 47 

served, having outlived four National struggles. There is 
scarcely a gun in the army or navy that had been so closely 
watched and guarded. It was like "school marms," "boarded 
round," two towns at least vieing in their attentions. 

Dec. 2nd, 1863, one of the largest fires Amherst ever suffered 
took place, burning the barn of David Stewart, Union Hotel 
(Hardy's), store of Hapgood & Abbot in which was the post 
office, the old Means store, and another small one. The beauti- 
ful Republican flag and streamer was burned, being stored in 
the hall over the store. The following February several young 
ladies, calling themselves "The Banner Club," presented another 
flag to the Republican Club. 

That King George III had a jail in Amherst is now satisfac- 
torily established, tho' not much more secure than his hold 
upon the people. It is connected with the present dwelling of 
Mr. Hodgman one-half mile south of the village. Its security 
may be judged of by the fact that the Court of Sessions, Oct. 
1772, voted a guard of four men therefor. In 1771 the place 
was purchased by Joshua Atherton, which may account for the 
fact that he and other political prisoners from the County were 
held at Exeter until the completion of the new jail. 

The Court in its acceptance of the old house of worship for 
its use, came under obligations to furnish a county jail, which 
was the long building at the head of Jail Avenue built in 1777 
and 1778 known as the "County House-" The land on which 
these buildings were was presented to the County by Jonathan 
Smith, in 1771. The west end was constructed for a jail, being 
built of oak timbers overlaid with iron bars on the inside, while 
the east end of the building was arranged for the uses of the 
jailor and family. This was in use some forty years, but prov- 
ing insecure and insufficient, a new stone jail was built, by the 
County, below, near the brook. This, proving damp and in- 
convenient, was taken and rebuilt, with same material, at the 
west end of the County House. It was surrounded by a high 
brick wall, picketed, with entrance to jail from west end of 
house. The stairs on the south side led to the women's quarters. 
It was sold together, with the County House after the jail at 
Manchester was built. ( hie of the large stone blocks from the 
jail, with ring in the top, to which prisoners used to be chained, 
is on the Common. c 

One of the heaviest blows given to the business prosperity 
of Amherst since the failure of the old Hillsboro Bank was the 
closing of the Farmers' Bank in January 1843 from the refusal 
of the Legislature to renew its charter. 

The Ornamental Tree Society set out the row of elm trees 
to complete the row from Dr. Spalding's in April 1846. The 
beautiful row of maples on Boston Road was set out in 1854 by 
Melendy and David. 



- 




oo 



> 



u 



Amherst in the Rebellion 

Record of 1861 to 1865 

Amherst's part in the suppression of the Rebellion, that mem- 
orable struggle from 1861 to 1X65, is one that makes the heart 
of every lover of the old town swell with honest pride. 

Amherst was quick to respond to the call of the country for 
defenders of her liberties, and it is with grateful hearts we cher- 
ish the memory of the brave deeds of those noble benefactors. 




Boston Road Looking North. 

A meeting of the citizens of Amherst was holden at the Town 
Hall, Monday evening, April 23rd. 1861, to respond to the' Presi- 
dent's call for troops, and to aid in putting down the Southern 
Rebellion. 

It was the most enthusiastic meeting in the place since that 
which followed the announcing of the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence from the old rock on the Common. Previous to entering 
the hall the citizens formed in line, and, to the beat of the stirring 
drum, marched out and saluted the flag, then marched to the 
hall, where they were called to order by B. B. David and the 
following organization effected: Pres., B. B. David; Perley 



50 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Dodge, Chas. Richardson, Levi J. Secomb, David Stewart, Vice 
Presidents; K. I). Boylston, C. K. Hapgood, Secretaries- 

< hi taking the chair the President feelingly announced the 
object of the meeting, dwelt upon the importance of sustaining 
the Government and the Union, and pledged his all to the call 
and services of the Country- After prayer hy Rev. J. G. Davis, 
and eloquent speeches by thirteen of the citizens, suitable reso- 
lutions were offered and adopted. A pledge to meet any assess- 
ment made by the Finance Committee was largely signed, and 
fourteen young men offered their services to fight the battles of 
the Constitution. 

They started ( Ictober 14 via. Concord for Fort Constitution, 
where they were to receive their equipments. The scene at the 
leaving was deeply affecting, there was no flagging of spirit 
among them as the deafening cheers they gave as they left full v 
testified. 




C. P. Dodge S. B. Melendy Wm. R. Clark 

The First N. II. Regiment, composed of three months' men, 
left the State May 25th, and with it went George Vose, having 
.Milisted at Nashua previous to the citizens' meeting in Amherst. 

"The volunteers who had been stationed at Fort Constitu- 
tion,, declined the three years' service, were fully discharged, and 
returned home. 

Warren Russell enlisted in the hand of the Mass. Seventh 
from Taunton, Mass. 

The tall for 300,000 three years' men in July, roused the land 
to a terrible conviction of the greatness of the struggle, and en- 
listment went rapidly on. 

The Third X. II. Regiment, at Concord, and the Fourth, at 
Manchester, based on the surplus of the Third, were soon ready 
for the held and in one month after the Fourth was organized. 
The Fifth was enlisted and mustered into service at Concord 
(Oct. 26). Our townsman Charles K. Hapgood was appointed 
a Recruiting officer for this regiment, ami enlisted here a line 



COLONIAL AMHERST 51 

company from this and the neighboring towns, who were mus- 
tered in as Co. I. 

Mr- Hapgood was made Captain of the Company formed in 
Hillsborough County for the Fifth Regiment. 

The first death among the Volunteers was that of Wm. Wat- 
erman Sawtelle. He was one of the first group, and later enlist- 
ed in the N. H. Second under Capt. Weston, and was at the battle 
at Bull Run. He died at Washington from fever, his parting 
words when leaving home were, "Let me return bearing the Old 
Flag, or wrapped in it." 

The cost of the war to this town was large but was cheer- 
fully borne by her loyal and patriotic citizens; the aggregate ex- 
pense was nearly $50,000. A large share of this was returned 
by a grateful country, but it was not expected during the dark 
days of the war. 

In 1 87 1 a monument was erected "In honor of Our Citizen 




Going to Pasture. 

Soldiers," 1861-1865 by the town of Amherst assisted by a lega- 
cy from A. Lawrence Esq. The granite from which the monu- 
ment was made was taken from one of our own farms. The lo- 
cation was the training field of the famous "Old West," back into 
the eighteenth century, a company of brave men who did bril- 
liant duty in many a sham fight, but who never saw a real one, or 
dreamed that their appointed training ground would within the 
nineteenth century, be rendered historic by the erection there 
of a monument to their descendants, fallen in bloody strife. 

There were one hundred and five men in the Civil War from 
Amherst, or in some way connected with our town. 

Boxes were packed with roasted turkey and a little roasted 
pig, boiled ham, plum pudding, pies and other good things, by 
the friends at home, for our soldier boys' first Thanksgiving. 
The boys had planned for a good time, but the box was delayed 
and they were hurried away to xAdexandria and still fed on sol- 
diers' rations. 

At the opening of the year [862 there were eight New Hamp- 



52 COLONIAL AMHERST 

-hire regiments in the service, and the Ninth called, and all con- 
tained Amherst men- 

On Aug. 23rd on motion of Horace Clark, the town voted 
unanimously to give the nine months' men $150 and the same pay 
to their families as to those enlisting for the war. This $150 with 
the $60 from the State, $25 of the Government, and the $15 of 
advance pay made a total of $248. 

September brought President Lincoln's Proclamation of 
prospective Emancipation, fixing Jan. 1st, [863, for confisca- 
tion and freeing of the slaves of all persons then found in Rebel- 
lion against the Government. These were trying and exciting 
davs and eager throngs ever crowded the post office at the hour 
of every mail. A draft was pending, but postponed by the Gov- 




Rev. Wm, Clark's House. 



eminent to give towns the chance to lill their quota by enlist- 
ments. Joy and sadness were strangely mingled, receiving the 
news of the death of one and the welcoming home of another. 

The long continued and deadly struggle, and the fearful 
wants and wastes of war, had not only brought heavy sorrows 
to all hearts, but pinching need and personal physical suffering 
all over the loyal and disloyal land. With gold at _>So, cost of 
living had become enormous, and rumors of starvation, even, 
were rife in the land. Business in all departments was fearfully 
depressed, and many unable to obtain work or support. 

Congress created the new office of Lieutenant Oeneral of the 
U. S. Army, and by special enactment placed the whole control 
and direction of the entire campaign in the hand of that cool and 
clear head, Ulysses S. ('.rant and, from that point the loyal army 
moved "mi to Richmond" and victory, though not without oft 
defeat and disaster. May 17, [864 drafting commenced at Con- 
cord, five men were sent from Amherst, two were accepted. 
Still another draft was made ami two more of Amherst's men 
chosen. 

At the Town Meeting June 29th, Wm. A. Mack (who as chair- 
man of the Board of Selectmen had managed the financial af- 
fairs of the Soldiers' department ) was elected special Town 



COLONIAL AMHKItST 



53 



Agent for filling the quota. The town appropriated $6000 for 
that purpose, and instructed him to fill without limitation. Just 
at this juncture. Gov. Gilmore was authorized to raise four ad- 
ditional companies of Heavy Artillery, and through the very 
liberal bounty offered, seven of the young men of Amherst en- 
listed in this corps. Thus by the indomitable energy of the Town 
Agent, aided by these generous offers of the town and its citi- 
zens, the quota was filled. 

By Proclamation of the President, seconded by that of the 
Governor, August 4th was observed as a day of Fasting and 
Prayer, in view of the National Crisis. The day was solemnly 




Main Street. 



observed in Amherst, with very appropriate church services. 
The annual Thanksgiving was a day of hearty praise- Lincoln 
had been triumphantly re-elected ; Atlanta had fallen, and proud- 
ly Sherman, Sheridan and Grant were marching on to assured 
victory. Heaven had honored our arms and implements and 
all hearts rejoiced in the hope of the speedy return of the days 
of peace and plenty. 

December brought another call, for 300,000, the last having 
netted but 40 per cent. As the smoke of battle cleared up at the 
close of the year, a brightened future was revealed. Thanks to 
Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Thomas, Farragut and Porter, and all 
the brave and valiant sons of the land and of the ocean who had 



54 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



upheld the Government, fought its battles, and won those vic- 
tories, which was a presage of coming Peace, Union and Pros- 
perity, it seems as if these United States would all untramelled 
by slavery, stand forth, the admiration of the world! Then 
would the fields rejoice and the trees clap their hands," and 
Freedom go flying around the earth, bearing the "red, white and 
blue" and joyfully proclaiming: "Behold what God hath 
wrought." 

With the opening of [865, the States in Rebellion, one after 
another, gave signs of relenting, and came wheeling into the line 
of Freedom and the Union. The Confederacy saw nothing but 
defeat and dissolution before it. but its desperate and despairing 
leaders seemed determined to make its dying struggles as bitter 
as possible. 

February opened with wild rejoicings, the Mouse of Repre- 
sentatives in Congress* having, on the closing day of January, 
passed the joint resolution, rejected at the previous session, sub- 




Emerson Tavern. Cabinet Office. 

Boylston Corner. 

mining to the Legislatures of the several states a proposition so 
to amend the Constitution of the United States as to prohibit 
Slavery, many and all of them, by a vote of 1 12 to 56, just the 
two-thirds requisite. There was great joy in Amherst. "Coming 
events cast their shadows before," and one wrote. "Give US a few 
weeks of pleasant weather and jvi'i. Davis and the whole G S. A. 
can 'hang their harps upon the willows." Do you doubt it . J " 

April opened with stirring Union victories, the fall of Rich- 
mond, the taking of Charleston, the complete overthrow of the 
Confederacy. Great was the rejoicing, local and universal, as at 
dawn on Monday, April the 10th, there went Hashing over the 
wires of the world the gladdest message that had been enunciated 
since "peace and good will to man" was listened to by the Shep- 
herd in the far-off * )rient. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



55 



"Lee had surrendered to General Grant." 

Before a week had passed this great joy was turned to grief, 
as on that hlack Friday night, there went flashing and crashing 
over the wires of the land the startling, astounding report of the 
assassination of the President, the noble Abraham Lincoln. 

Names of all from or connected with Amherst in Civil War, 
Page 95 E. D. B. Great Civil conflict. 

In 1866 the fence now around the common was planned. Chas. 
Merrill, who kept a shoe store, and whom many will remember 
as the music school teacher, was the leader in this movement. 
The spring following, the new Park was planted with trees, the 
citizens had a "bee" which resulted in many dollars' worth of 
labor being done. In October the jail and County house were 
sold at auction. 




Amherst Library. 

The Amherst Library Association, which had its origin in 
the social gatherings of a circle of Amherst worthy ladies for 
self improvement, in 1859, continued in successful operation, 
adding to its library from time to time by entertainments and 
otherwise, until 1879, when the same was donated to and ac- 
cepted by the Town as a Public Library, for the free use of the 
citizens. The books were kept in the Town House. By 1890 
the Trustees realized that larger quarters were needed and under 
the leadership of Rev. J. G. Davis they set about to raise money 
for them- In 1892 the new building was dedicated, being built 



-,.; 



COLONIAL AM HURST 



in rudge Parker's garden. In [910 the building was enlarged 
by James \Y. Towne. 

Of New I tampshire's sons who have gone out into the world 
in make their fortunes, none, perhaps, have had a more remarka- 
ble career than I [orace Greeley, none has lived his life more con- 
scientiously, nor died more respected by those who knew him, 
and those who although not knowing him personally, felt his far 
reaching influence for good, lie was. as a politician, statesman, 
and one of the world's greatest editors, held up as an example 
to countless hoys who were being carefully trained by good 
mothers and fathers to become good men "like Horace Greeley 
was," as high a standard of manhood as could well be set in 
those days. 

llis simplicity and gentleness were only equalled by his hon- 
esty and truthfulness, and he gave advice and sympathy. help- 




Horace Greeley's Birthplace. 

fulness and assistance to any who asked it. "Go West young 
man" was his inspiring call to the young men who were to con- 
quer the Western Plains and seek fortunes in the mini's. 

Me was described by |. G. Whittier as "our later Franklin." 
I te was an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency of the Unit- 
ed States, and was a self made man. 

Poverty was his heritage, and the struggles of his boyhood 
were such as would discourage the average man. 

Before he could talk plainly, he began to amuse himself by 
"picking out" familiar words, and the Farmers' Cabinet, the local 
paper, was a favorite with him. 

When six years old, the older children were discussing the fu- 
ture, and planning their places. I lis true, big hearted mother 
asked laughingly, "What are yon going to be when yon are a big 
man. Horace?" Me answered promptly, "A printer. 1 am 

going to make newspapers, and write things for other people to 

In 
. 

llis first triumph was in spelling down the entire school. By 

the time he was ten he had read ever) hook thai could be bor- 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



57 



rowed in Amherst. Ever hungry for books, words, words, words, 
were his delight, and he shortly became the champion speller of 
the schools. . 

To make hooks appeared to him the most desirahle if not the 
greatest thing to do on earth, and the world knows how well in 
after life he carried out the plan that pleased his childish thought- 
He labored nearly all his life for the abolition of slavery. 

A tablet stands by the old weather-beaten, elm shaded house in 
which he first saw the light. 

Another has been placed on the big stone in front of Charles 
Dodge's home. 




Horace Greeley Marker. 

From the Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, May 1869: 
"The new and elegant hotel, just erected in the village, was 
formally opened to the public and dedicated to the hospitable 
uses for which it is designed. The enterprise originated about 
2 years ago in a public necessity. Amherst was formerly well 
supplied with hotel accommodations, and in her palmy days her 
public houses were as widely and as favorably known as any in 
the State. But time brought a great change in this respect as in 
others. The era of railroads stripped the public houses in the 
town of three-fourths of their importance and patronage. One 
after another of those remaining in the village disappeared be- 
fore the torch of the incendiary, and from 1863 to '69 the whole 
town did not afford any place of public entertainment. The want 
of a hotel soon became a reproach to the town, which was keenly 



58 



COLONIAL AMHLKST 



felt by the better portion of the community. To compensate for 
the lack of a place of entertainment several of the citizens made 
the wayfarer welcome to their firesides and thus the lack of a 
public house became, in time, a matter of less inconvenience to 
the travelling public than to the residents of the place. In 1SL7 
several of the more energetic and public spirited men of the vil- 
lage determined to provide a public house. They formed an as- 
sociation and procured from the Legislature a charter for the 
Amherst Hotel Company. Soon after an organization was ef- 
fected under the charter, stock was subscribed, a building Com. 
was appointed and ground broken May [868. The directors 



*^> >"* 




Amherst Hotel. 



of the enterprise, Messrs. Chas. Richardson, Harrison Eaton, 
John F- Whiting and Win. A. Mack, wisely concluded that they 
would erect a house that would be an ornament to the place and 
command the patronage of those denizens of the great cities 
who desire a quiet rural home in summer, and one that is easily 
accessible. With this view the erection of a summer hotel was 
unanimously decided upon. Whin the plan was prepared the 
details of construction were placed in the hands of Mr. J. F. 
Whiting, who with the aid of the builder. Mr. James Groves of 
Wilton, carried them out to the letter. 

"The lot for the structure was the site of the Stewart House 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



59 



on the south side of the Common, and hard by the spot where 
stood the charred ruins of the old Hardy tavern, better known 
during the first half of the century as the inn of the "Golden 
Ball " The hotel was substantially completed on the first of Feb- 
ruary The main building has a front to the north, seventy feet 
in length, and three stories high, and is 36 feet in depth. Run- 
ning south is a wing thirty by sixty feet, also three stories. Ex- 
tending the entire length of the front are two piazzas which in 
the sultry days of August will afford a delightful retreat from 
heat and sun, 'and to which will always be added a charm of view 
that can hardly elsewhere be found," etc. 

"No greater contrast of condition could exist than between 
the school life of what we love to call the "good old times" and 
that of the far better times of today. Poor, small, and uncomfor- 
table school houses, compared with the present day, scant furn- 
ishings, severity of discipline were the accompaniment of those 
days." 




School House— Knights' Mill. 

Although the location of the land was chosen upon which to 
build the school house, it was not built until after the town was 
incorporated and little attention was paid to other than private 
instruction until after the Revolutionary War. There were even- 
ing schools about the open fire. One of the first school houses 
in the village was built upon what is now known as the ball held, 
and was called the Captain Dana school. The building was later 
removed and made into a dwelling and stands now upon Boston 
road, southwest of the blacksmith shop. , 

Another was built just north of the Town House. This was 
burned and replaced with a two story structure of good size, 
painted white with porch and a red steeple, and was an orna- 
ment to the town. . 

It was used first for the Aurean Academy, an institution 



60 < <)U)NIAL AMHERST 

which was of much practical benefil to the Town and County- It 
was instituted in [790 through the efforts of I Ion. Joshua Ather- 
ton, and Col. Robert Means, who gave it its name. Mere their 
children and many others from this and the surrounding towns, 
received an excellenl education under accomplished instructors. 
The exercises of the Aurean wire held in the Court house until 
the new school was built, and this was only used for about a 
year when the Academy was given up. 

The building was used for the public schools until it was de- 
cided to sell it and build one in the centre of the town for the two 
districts so near together, llalf of the old building is still stand- 
ing near Hartshorn's mill and was used for a factory. 

The other school house which was given up at the same time 
was the brick one at the west of the Common. It was sold and 
made into a saw mill, and later burned. 

The fine two-story brick school building which we have now 
was built in 1S54. The home of William Read was removed and 
the land bought on which to build. The bell was a gift from A. 
Lawrence. At the opening of the Fall term. ( )ct. 2nd, 1854, the 
new building- was formally taken possession of by the District. 
The children of the several schools assembled at the former West 
school house at 1; A. M., of which they took final leave in the 
song: 

"Time Auld Lang Syne." 
We come, <>ld I louse, to say Farewell, 

Farewell, old friend, to thee ; 

For we no more within thy walls. 

As schools shall gathered be. 

Many a happy day we've spent, 

Old School Mouse, thee within; 
And if in wisdom we've not grown. 

It sure is not thy sin. 

Thy old familiar walls awake 

Sweet memories of School, 
And some less sweet, but no less meet. 

Impressed by a rule- 

1 

Much good thou'st done within thy day 

Much more we wish thy lot ; 
And though today we say, farewell, 

Thou shalt not be forgot. 

So now. ( )ld I louse, we say, Farewell, 
Farewell Eore'er to thee ; 

And as thou oft has cheered us, 
So parting we'll cheer thee. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



61 



After three cheers for the old school house, the several 
schools were formed in procession, under direction of Capt. Dan- 
iel Hartshorn, assisted by their respective teachers, and the mem- 
bers of the superintending- committee, and under escort of the 
Amherst Brass Band, and followed by many of the citizens, 
marched to and through the new school building, affording to 
all an opportunity to examine the several rooms. They then 
marched to the East school house, and forming in a circle, the 
schools again sang their farewell and gave three cheers. Then 
there were appropriate exercises in the Hall. An address, which 
contained many well-timed and valuable suggestions, was made 
by Rev. J. G. Davis. After music by the band, the by-laws and 




School House. 



plans adopted by the schools were read by Daniel A. Fletcher, 
clerk of the committee, and remarked upon by Rev. Win. Clark, 
Richard Boylston, B. B. David, the teacher, Mr. Lund, and others. 
After a dedication hymn was sung by the choir and prayer of- 
fered by Mr- Davis, Mr. David, with appropriate remarks, deliv- 
ered the keys to the Superintending Committee which were 
gracefully received and responded to by their chairman, Perley 
Dodge. 

The schools reformed in procession and marched to their 
respective rooms in the new building. This building has been 
added to within the last ten years. Mr. Lawrence left a bequest. 
the income of which is used for the benefit of the school. 

We have read about newspapers being introduced into the 
schools, at the discretion of the master in Boston in 17X4. We 
know that Horace Greeley learned to read from our local paper. 

The early teachers were very fine penmen as a rule. In olden 



62 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



THE BAPTIST CHURCH 
Organized on Chestnut Mill in 
SjS, continuing there until 1837, 
the company then moving its meet- 
ing-place to the Plain. In 1S44 this 
building, erected originally by the 
Unitarians, about 1825, was pur- 
chased. 




THE CONGREGA- 
TIONAL CHURCH 



FORMER METHODIST 
CHURCH 

Built in 1840 and used 
about 40 years, when ser- 
vices were discontinued. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



63 



times but one kind of a pen was used, one cut from a goosequill 
with the feathers left on the handle. The selection and manufac- 
ture of these goose quill pens was a matter of considerable care 
in the beginning, and of constant watchfulness and mending un- 
til the pen was worn out. One of the indespensable qualities of 
a Colonial school master, was that he was a good pen maker and 
pen mender. It often took the master and helper two hours to 
make the pens for the schools. Boys were not allowed to make 
pens in school until they were twelve years old. Each family 
made their own ink, by dissolving an ink powder, which is done 
now in our public schools. 

The sand box ornamented the desks of all 
users of the old quill pen. The sand was strewn 
overthepage while the ink was still wet and what 
did not cling to the page was carefully turned 
back into the box. It was a black sand, and can still be found 
along the shores of Lake Champlain and on some of the beaches 
of Massachusetts. It brings one very close with the people of 
long ago to read the old letters, one in particular in which the 
writer asks the hand in marriage of the daughter of the man to 
whom he is writing, in 1809. The letters were carefully folded, 
with due regard to the etiquette of letter folding, and plainly and 
neatly addressed. 





Steeple View Showing Upper Flanders. 

This next item is of much importance and should be known 
and remembered, though not directly connected with our own 
schools : 

"So determined was Massachusetts to have schools that in 
1636, only six years after the settlement of Boston, the General 
Court, which was composed of representatives from every set- 
tlement in the Bay Colony, and which was the same as our House 
of Representatives today, gave over half the annual income of 
the entire colony to establishing the school, which two years 



64 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



later became Harvard College. This event should be remem- 
bered- It is distinguished in history as the first time any body of 
people in any country ever gave, through its representatives, its 
own money to found a place of education. 

The citizens of Amherst have ever manifested commendable 
spirit in the observance of occasions of public interest. The 
birth of the Nation was announced by "the rattle of the stirring 
drum," and other demonstrations of joy of which we have no 
record. 

When the news reached Amherst of the death of Washington, 
the citizens were summoned together by the Village Messenger, 
the church was heavily draped, the hell tolled, and a procession 




The First Piano in Amherst. 

marched to the church, where a dirge was sung and an address 
made by Rev. J. Barnard. The village paper was printed in 
mourning for four weeks. Feb. 22nd, iSoo, was recommended 
by the President of the U. S. to be observed as a day of mourn- 
ing for the death of our beloved President. The citizens of the 
first parish joined by a few from the second, and a number of the 
inhabitants of Milford and other towns assembled at Mr. Wat- 
son's, to the number <>\ 600, where a procession was formed, mar- 
shaled by Messrs. T. Means and J. K. Smith, and moved in the 
following order to Mr. Whiting's, then down the street to Capt. 
Prior's, thence by Col. Mean's to the Meeting Mouse: Male chil- 
dren under sixteen years of age prccccdcd by two instructors: 
D. Campbell and R. Smith, young gentlemen from i(> to _>i years 
headed by Sergeants Stewart and Emerson in uniform, Clergy- 
man and Speaker, martial music, with drums muffled, tune 
Roslin Castle, Military Officers, Benevolenl Lodge and Masons. 
Citizens according to age. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



65 



Ode sung by Mr- Wm. Abbott, accompanied by instrumental 
music, Chorus sung by the choir. Rev. J. Barnard made a pray- 
er, and Mr. C. H. Atherton delivered an Eulogy. 

The Fourth of July 1810 was celebrated by a procession in 
which was a ship fully rigged with flowing sails from which sa- 
lutes were fired. An address followed in the church, reading of 
Washington's farewell address to the people of the United 
States, after which they marched to a bower in the field, where 
they all dined together. July 4th, 1826, a flag was presented to 
the Lafayette Riflemen. 




Geo. F. Stevens' House and Store. 



1827, Sept. 15th. At this time the "Bloody Fifth" regiment, 
as it was called, was in its "best feather" and made a fine show 
under command of Col. Emerson at its muster. A great propor- 
tion of the companies were in complete uniform, including Am- 
herst and Merrimack Rifle Companies, the Dunstable Cadets and 
Grenadiers, the Milford Cadets, the Light Infantry, the Hollis 
Grenadiers with the Cavalry and Artillery. 

1843. The public sentiment in favor of Temperance at thi'- 
time was very strong, and such as should bring a blush upon the 
cheeks of its friends of today. In August the "Cold Water 
Army" of Amherst visited the "Cold Water Army" of Milford 
and spent the day in a grove half a mile from the village, 
the procession reaching nearly the entire distance- Fifteen hun- 



.;.; 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



dred were present and those being asked to rise who had taken 
the pledge of total abstinence, nearly the whole company arose. 

The centennial of the formation of the Congregational church 
was duly noticed in 1N44 and an historical discourse given 1>v 
the pastor, Rev. Win. I). Savage. 

Description of the flag raising Sept. [8th, [856, written 1>y a 
14 year old girl to her mother as a composition: 

Early in the morning crowds were on the Plain watching 
for the delegation from the different cities and towns. At half 
past eleven, the delegation from Manchester arrived, escorted 
by the Amherst hand, who went to meet them. First in the pro- 
cession was the cavalcade consisting of one hundred horsemen, 
and then followed a long line of carriages, teams, and coaches. 




The Old Corner Store. 



The Nashua delegation came next, numbering over 1000 in 
150 vehicles. Among them was a large carriage, drawn by six 
horses containing 32 girls, all dressed in white with wreaths on 
their heads, and each carrying banners representing the 31 states 
and Kansas. Their happy countenances beaming with smiles add- 
e 1 much to the appearance of the procession. Those girls took 
tea at our house, and while seated around the table many came 
in to see them, and a prettier scene never was witnessed. 

Before leaving, one of the marshals senl the following reso- 
lution, which was unanimously adopted by the company : 

Resolved that the thank- of the "United States" of Nash- 
ua he extended to our host for his generous hospitality in open 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



67 



ing his home May his husyfield always yield a rich increase to 
reward his labors, and his days be long in the midst thereof. 

Next came the Mont Vernon delegation. First was a large 
wagon filled with ladies, carrying a beautiful banner, following 
was a long line of citizens in carriages and on foot, bearing nags 

and banners. .. . 

The Plain was covered with people, and it seemed as it there 
was room for no more, when Milford's delegation arrived num- 
bering 2QOO people. Foremost in this train was a large wagon, 
70 ft long 18 ft- wide, and covered with bark, representing the 
Rocky Mountain Hut, Fremont himself standing in the door 
dressed in skins. This was drawn by 28 oxen and contained 75 

1 Q fi 1 f* C 

Tlie procession measured three miles in length. At 2 o'clock 
the new flag was thrown to the breeze and was received with 




Steeple View Toward Mont Vernon. 

tremendous cheers. Charles Campbell was chosen President and 
as the flag was slowly raised he repeated the words of the Na- 
tional Ode 

"The star spangled banner, O long may it wave, ^ 
Ore the land of the free and the home of the brave. 
Speeches were then made by Mason W. Tappan, Daniel Clark 
and Charles Campbell. 

The meeting broke up at S o'clock, and all dispersed to their 
respective homes, and Amherst looked like Old Amherst once 

° Aug. 1 6th. 1858 the first message by ocean cable was received, 
bells were rung and the houses were all illuminated. 

The Centennial of the incorporation of the town occurring 
Tan 20th i860, the commemoration was postponed till the 30m 
of May, and that of the first Town Meeting observed at the lown 
Hall Feb 20th, with many reminders of "ye olden time. 

The observance of the 30th of May was attended by a large 



68 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



gathering from Ear and near. The village residences were dec- 
orated, there was a procession, prayer l>v Rev. Dr. Moore of 
Miltord, Chaplain of the day, address of welcome by Hon. Chas. 
II- Campbell, President, Reading of the Town Charter, Oration 
by Horace ('.reeky of New Vork, Addresses by lion. Chas. J. 
Smith of Mont Vernon and Clinton S. Averill of Milford, His- 
torical Poem by K. D. Boylston, (which has so much of interest 
in it. we have reprinted it in the hack of this volume). 

These exercises were followed by dinner at the Town Hall. 
\t the opening of the afternoon exercises a heavy thunder storm 
put an end to all further proceedings. 

< >n the occasions of the deaths of Presidents Lincoln, Harri- 
son and Garfield, the town had the usual signs of grief and 




Souhegan River and Old Turnpike Bridge. 



mourning, hells were tolled. Hags raised at half mast, and public 
services in the church draped for the observance. 

The day Lee surrendered, April toth, [865, the town hell and 
the school house hell were rung from 10 A. M. till 4.30 1'. M. 

May 2<>th, [868, Decoration Day was first observed. 

The Centennial of American Independence, July 4. [876, was 
ushered in by the firing of cannon and the ringing of bells. 

A public meeting was held in the evening in the Town Hall, 
where there were appropriate exercises which included the read- 
ing of the Declaration of Independence. 

The hall was decorated with flags, flowers and mottoes, and 
the states personified by ladies dressed in white with red and 
blue sashes. 

The celebration of the 150 anniversary of the incorporation 
of the Town of Amherst was held June 17th. [910 



COLONIAL AMHERST 69 

Hon. Aaron M. Wilkins, Chairman. 

Deceased May 27, 1910. 

Rev. Charles Ernest White, Secretary. 

E. C- Hubbard, Treasurer. 

Committee 

Percy Odell, Ernest H. Peaslee, Enos S. Robinson 

Louis Clark Herbert A. Fuller, Horace T. Harvell 

Frank A. Holbrook. 

Pres. of the Hay, Dr. Geo. H. Wilkins. 

The exercises were held in the Congregational church and 
were very interesting. 

"The manners and customs of the first inhabitants, their 
food, drink, travelling, etc., would doubtless be interesting to 
their descendants. Coming from the old towns of Massachusetts, 
the first settlers of Amherst brought with them the customs 
which prevailed at the time of their emigration. In their dress 
they were plain and simple. In living, they had few or none of 
the luxuries of life. Their fare was plain and substantial. They 
used considerable liquid food, such as milk, broths, pea and bean 
porridge. Chocolate was sometimes used, and was probably es- 
teemed as one of their greatest luxuries. Coffee was unknown to 
them ; and though tea had been introduced into the country 
about sixteen years when the town was settled, the first inhabi- 
tants had not tasted of it. The first used in the place was sent 
,by some Boston friends to the family of the minister who were 
unacquainted with the method of preparing it, but concluded it 
must be boiled in an iron kettle or pot in a manner similar to 
their boiling their liquid food. They therefore put in a quantity 
of the exotic herb and having boiled it til they supposed "it was 
done" thev dipped it out and sipped of it, but doubtless found it 
less palatable than their favorite beverage- Tea had become in 
considerable use before the Revolutionary War. During this 
struggle, the drinking of foreign tea was deemed a crime, and 
many adopted the use of what was called "Liberty tea," as a sub- 
stitute for the Chinese herb. "It was made of four leaved loose 
strife." "This plant was pulled up like flax ; its stocks, stripped 
of their leaves, were boiled, and the leaves were put into an iron 
kettle and basted with the liquor of the stocks. After this process 
the leaves were removed into platters and placed in the oven to 
dry. A pound of this tea would go as far as one of Souchong." 

Cider, during the first years, was brought from the old towns. 
It was a common drink. Wine was a great rarity, and ardent 
spirits were rather regarded for medicinal purposes than as fit 
for an article of drink. The latter, however, too soon came into 
use." 

In the house the important place was the kitchen. There was 
the great fire place, with its iron crane, a long iron arm which 



70 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



stretched out over the lire and could be swung back and forth; 
pot hooks were on it, and kettles were hunt; from these hooks. 
Still earlier a wooden bar was fastened in the chimney, and ket- 
tles hung by chain and hook, hut the crane was safer. Starting 
the lire after building it with the four foot Ions; logs, hack log 
and fore log, was not very easy. Flint and steel were used if the 
lire did not keep after being buried in the ashes tin- nighl before 
and no neighbor near enough to borrow lire. 

The "dutch oven" was the earliest form of a baking utensil. 
It was a shallow iron kettle with a cover which had a rim to hold 
hot coals, so when set into the hot ashes, and hot coals on top, 
whatever was in the kettle would cook. 




The "bake-ovens" like small cupboards open at one side, 
were set up before the lire, and bread and biscuit baked in t hem- 
Brick ovens were built into the chimney besides the fireplace. 
A fire was built in them and when the brick were well heated, 
the coals were raked out. the beans, brown bread, chicken pies 
and cakes were put into the oven, a door of sheet iron put up, the 
outside door closed, and the good things were left until the house- 
wife thought they were done- 

The meat> were roasted either hanging by a rope or chain, and 
kepi turning, or in a tin baker with a spit, and handle outside 
with which to turn it over, so as to roast it evenly. Potatoes 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



71 



were roasted in the ashes ; hoe cake was baked on a board before 
the open fire. 

Strong hooks were fixed into the beams which ran across 
the top of the room, poles were laid on these, and from them 
strings of apples and pumpkins were hung to dry for winter 
pies. 

The loggerhead, sometimes called flip dog and hottle, was 
as much a part of the chimney furniture of an old time New 
England tavern or farm house, as the bellows or andirons, con- 
stantly kept warm in the ashes, to burn a mug of fresh flip. 

The bed chambers were icy in the winters and every house- 
hold had its feather beds, and long handled warming-pan, which 
was filled with coals and the cover shut down and then drawn 
back and forth between the sheets to warm the bed before retir- 
ing. 

Beds and pillows were valuable articles, and even so great a 





Colonial Knife Box. 



Candle Mould. 



man as the Governor of the Colony did not scorn to make a 
will leaving his daughter a feather bed and bolster. 

The long evenings were spent by the men whittling out teeth 
for rakes, handles for hoes, reels for winding yarn, wooden 
spoons, trenchers and dishes, tubs, pails, buckets, yokes, flails, 
snowshoes, skimmers, and handles for axes. The men made 
brooms sometimes of birch twigs and of hemlock branches. If 
the children wished for playthings, they made them. If it was 
a basket, they made it of birchbark and painted it with the juice 
of berries. They made quills of elder stems to be wound on 
the little quilling wheel with yarn to use in the shuttle of the 
loom. 



72 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



The mothers and sisters were not idle for many things were 
made in the home of the settler. Flax and wool were spun and 
woven-, dyed and made into clothes, all in one's own house. Stock- 
ings, mittens, mufflers, wristlets were knit by hand, straw was 
braided to sew into hats, soap, butter and cheese were always 
made at home. Candles were made of the sweet smelling bay 
berry wax. ( )f so great importance was this vegetable wax, that 
in some places the law forbade the gathering of the berries be- 
fore Sept. 15 under penalty of a line of fifteen shillings. Before 
the use of matches light had to be procured from the hot coals, 
a box of tapers, or strips of paper rolled up being used. The 
danger of fire was great, and every house was provided with rire 
buckets which hung in a handy place. The process of making the 
candles was long and trying, but casting them in moulds was eas- 
ier than dipping them. The moulds were made either of tin or 





Porringer. 



Miller Putnam's Lantern. 



pewter, and wotdd hold from two to twelve candles. Not every 
family owned a set of moulds but in those pleasant days of vil- 
lage life a mould was passed about from one family to another 
as needed, just as the spoon mould was passed- 

Almost as necessary as the candlesticks themselves were the 
snuffers and tray to go with them, and it was a much sought 
privilege of the children of the house to be allowed to use them. 
They were invented about 1733. Candle sticks of all kinds were 
considered more elegant than oil lamps. 'Hie part of the lamp 
to hold the oil, which set into the candle stick, was made of 
glass and brass, so the handsome sticks could still lie used. A 
single candle was enough to spin by, or to sit at rest on the set- 
tle and watch the lire crackle on the hearth, indeed this same 
candle would give lighl enough to compound a "night cap" of 
flip, to see when the loggerhead was red hot, ami that there 
were proper proportions of sugar and spice, pumpkin chips, and 
beer, or whatever other personal touches went into the mixing 
of this favorite brew. 

In the country lanterns were and still are much used. Some 
of the oldest kind> we find hanging in some of the homes as 
relics of the past. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



73 



Pewter is tin hardened by the addition of copper and anti- 
mony, or alloyed with lead, which was used on account of its 
cheapness. It was this lead which made pewter such a valuable 
possession in Revolutionary days. 

In 1777 Madam Smith, wife of the minister at Sharon, Conn., 
invited all her friends and neighbors to spend the evening with 
her, and to bring every pewter article with them which they 
could spare. Before the evening had passed "several gallons" of 
good bullets had been cheerfully run through bullet moulds, the 
good ladies sacrificing, without a pang, their much prized pewter. 
This destruction of household utensils necessitated the making 
of others, so there were trencher bees instituted, and held from 
house to house for many evening. At these the young men of 
the village whittled and shaped enough trenchers of maple and 
poplar wood to supply the needs of the household. The women 
smoothed down the rough edges with broken glass and polished 
them with a sand made of powdered limestone. 




Levi Jones' Epaulettes Worn in the Revolutionary War. 

A house in the Mohawk Valley had in 1770 a roof of lead; 
this was ripped off and made into bullets. History is now re- 
peating itself, for we read that in the World' War of 1916, metal 
roofs are being taken and made into ammunition. So also did 
the lead tablets set into monuments find their way into bullets. 
On July 9, 1776, the equestrian statue of George III, on Bowling 
Green, New York City, was pulled down, sent to Connecticut, and 
moulded, so the story runs, into 48,000 bullets. 

There were more articles of pewter than is generally sup- 
posed, lamps, plates, platters, tankards, porringers, spoons, pit- 
chers, basins, buckles (shoe and knee), coffee urns, hot water 
dishes, spectacle cases, salt dishes, candle sticks, snuff boxes, 
snuffers and trays and children play dishes. If possible they 
were cast in one piece, if not they were soldered together and 
finished off- 
Pewter lamps were made before 1763, for at that time a flat 
wicker lamp was invented which gave a superior light to the 
round wick ones. There was in use a needle set into wood with 
which to pick up the wick. 



74 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Whale oil could he bought as early as 171 2. The oil hoiled 
at sea was a pale yellow and quite odorless, high in price, doubt- 
less American made. Camphine (1834) or spirits of turpentine 
gave a very white light, and was very inflammable. There was 
not an abundance of petroleum until after 1835, although it had 
been known from most ancient times. Paraftne oil was used he- 
fore petroleum as an illuminating fluid. 

"The most common conveyance was by horses fitted out with 
saddles and pillions. Two could ride in this way the same animal, 
and oftentimes an infant was superadded. A few year before the 
Revolutionary \\ ar, it began to be the practice to trot horses. 
Previously, these animals had paced. The first or second chaise 
brought into town was owned by Mr. Benjamin Kendrick, and he 
rode in it until he was 86 years old. As late as 1810, he journeyed 
with it to Boston. It presented such an antique appearance that 
it was often called the "old ark." 



Homes of Amherst 



Not alone the inhabitants of our village come and go, and 
pass away, but the very dwellings they occupy are alike chang- 
ing. Some buildings "have partially gone while many have 
changed their location. 

The Farmer's Cabinet office was a one-story yellow build- 
ing which was moved in 1818 from the Blood place (now Wy- 
man's) where it stood under the big elm.. It was in L form 30 
feet front south and east, with signs running the whole length. 
One very curious one is still in the present budding. This 
building 'was moved in 1833 from back of Mrs. Parson's house 
when the old one was moved to the jail property, where it was 
subsequently burned. The receipted bill is as follows:— 

"Received of Richard Bovlston three hundred dollars in full 
for a two storv building sold him Sept. 1st, 1S33, the same build- 
ing which he now occupies as a printing office and book store. 
David Underhill." . 

The dwelling connected with this office was sold by bamuel 
Foster in Nov. 1.815. to the grandfather of its present owner. 
It had been kept as a tavern by Nathaniel Emerson. In the 
room at the left of the front door, which was the bar room, can 
be seen on the floor, the well worn path leading to the bar. The 
dance hall was in the second story of the ell. Emerson was a 
cooper by trade and it was to his shop the " lankee" was first 
called. ( )ctober 1809. 

Going north, where is now the Engine house, which was built 
in 1873 were Ray's long tavern stables and sheds, later Nutt 
was the owner, in 1827.' The house was burned in July 1865, 
and in two years was replaced with the Stewart house and owned 
by J Byron Fay, who gave the land for the engine house and 
the triangle of land northeast for a play ground for the boys, 
and it was upon this triangle, in earlier days, that Blanchard s 
hay scales ^tood, roofed, into which the load was driven and hoist- 
ed by a windlass, when weighed. The large house, on the corner 
facing this land, was where Andrew Wallace came in April 1824, 
when he received the appointment of Clerk of the Courts in Hills- 
borough Count v. . 

The next house was the Wakefield's, whose smart girls furn- 
ished to ladies, dress, bonnet and curls. Whitney's blacksmith 
shop stood just north and was burned many years ago. The 
little schoolhouse, which stood on Busyfield, was moved and oc- 



76 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



cupied as a dwelling by Simeon Danforth about 1N50, conies 
next. Charles Henry David lived in the cottage beyond and his 
only child lives in the neighborhood still. 

The Samuel Vose house was buill aboul [845. The little 
house on the corner was known for many years as the Bacon 
house. 

( )n the Mont Vernon road, a mile north of the village, is the 
house in which Rev. Nathan Lord lived, one of the most illus- 
trious men ever called to fill our pulpit. This house was built by 
Eli Brown, a retired sea captain, who, when it was completed, in- 




The Nathan Lord Homestead. 



vited all his friends to what we should call a house warming, 
and had a boat shaped carriage to convey them hack and forth 
from the town. 

< >n the west side of the street were the Thompson house and 
shop, Vaughn's jewelry shop anil house. Meter Smith was the 
first blacksmith to occupy the < >sgood shop as we know it. He 
left Amherst in [839 and Joel 1\ I >sgood look the business. 

The house was ocupied by the Deans, then the < >^oods. The 
Kphraim I'.lanchard house buill about [830 was purchased by 
E. D. Boylston in [848. The Rideout house was a long one-story 
shop where Mr. Blanchard carried on the cabinet making busi- 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



77 



ness. More than one piece of furniture made by Mr Blanchard 

is in the town. 

The Eastman house is now twice its original size and owned 
by Mr. Hanson. In the rear was the lead pipe shop of Mr. East- 
man when Manchester begun to be built up. Mr. Eastman was 
one of a company to furnish the inhabitants with water by means 
of aqueducts. Tie also furnished the pumps and pipes for the 
use of the railroad companies between Lowell and Franklin. 

The Robert Reed house, on the corner, had rear and ends of 
brick, with wooden front and ell. This was burned in 1860, and 
was replaced seven years later with the Dr. Moore house which 
was formerly Hobson's bark mill in the garden of the William 
Clark place, 'which now is owned by Mr. Butman. It was sold 
to and moved by Jeremiah Smith in 1798, to near the church. 
The house is owned by Mrs. Fannie Parsons. 




Dr. George Moore House. 

Next to the corner is the house where Mrs. Aiken lived, 
which was built for a screw factory, but was used as a shoe 
and wheel wright shop. Where now the Congregational church 
stands, were the horse sheds, and in one of them the "Yankee" 
was housed. The square lot in front of the sheds was fenced in 
with only a shoe makers shop on the south side, which later 
became the tailor shop of Elbridge F. Perkins, who lived in the 
house east of the church after the church w^as moved. 

To the south the second church (patterned after the north 
church in Concord) stood for sixty-five years, where two gener- 
ations had gathered for worship. It was moved to its present 
location in 1836, the ownership of which comprises one of the 
strangest church contracts. With the change of status respect- 
ing the support of religious institutions in New Hampshire the 
town disposed of the meeting house by auction to the highest 
bidder, reserving the steeple, town clock and bell, and part of 



7s 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



the basement, when the building became the property of the 
Congregational Society. When the building was moved, it was 
turned half-way round, and then backward from the Common to 
the site on which it now stands. The galleries were taken down, 
the floor raised, new windows inserted, and the building so ex- 
tended as to embrace the porch which sustained the steeple. 

The old Read store stood west of the church, a most pe- 
culiar shaped building, one of our historians called it the "tur- 
banded" store. 

The jail and County house were on the rise of ground to the 
north. There were several interesting homes near the jail. Mr. 
Barker, the church builder, who was the jailor for a time, lived 
near. Lawyer Shattuck's house was built when he was con- 



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Mrs. Aiken's Home. 



fined for debt in the jail." Jail limits were established, and the 
debtor allowed the privilege of going a certain number of feet 
from the jail." 

John Blunt settled in Amherst about [789, and lived in the 
same house which his son John occupied later, and now owned 
by Mrs. 1 licks. Elijah Munroe was the one-armed jail keeper 
for Hillsborough County in [844. lie lived in the "County 
house," while his son James occupied another house which was 
burned. On the east corner of Jail Avenue was David Foster's 
house with James Sloan's store and Elijah Mansur's printing 
office over it. These with the adjoining house of David Russell 
have been burned. At the southeasl corner of this store, wholly 
upon the common, stood the old square Court house. It had 
high wooden steps and hitching posts and was built in 17SS. 
After the erection in [825, of the brick court house, this building 
was sold to the Congregational Society, moved away and used by 
them as a chapel for several years, when it was again sold and 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



79 



made into a dwelling, which is now owned by W. W. Sloan, on 
Foundry St. 

East of the Old Court House was the mansion of Jedediah 
K. Smith, with its stoop, its lofty well-sweep its barns and well 
kept gardens. It was in this house the first court was held in 
1771. Before Mr. Smith inherited it, it was an inn. Later it was 
owned by Eben Lawrence, who moved it to the site on which it 
now stands, north of the Baptist church. It was bought from 
Mr. Lawrence by Thomas F. Wilson in 1846. The southern 
half was owned for many years by the late Dr. John Clark. 

Solomon Hutchinson, the first town clerk of Amherst, lived in 






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The Old Read Store. 

(The Bonnet.) 

a house on the left hand corner as we turn to go down the hill, 
which was burned. The present dwelling on that corner was, at 
some time, used as a store, and there was an outside staircase. 

The first house on the right was built by Israel Fuller, who 
lived there, and the house below, which was the one to which the 
Campbells came on leaving Moderator's hill. 

We now enter Upper Flanders, where nearly all the business 
of the early settlement was done. At the foot of the hill by the 
bridge, which was farther west than now, stood the old pound, 
made of stone. On the east side of the road, over the brook, 
under a very large elm tree, was in 1790 Nathan J. Durant's 
blacksmith shop. The road to Pond Parish then wound north 
or this tree. Chickering's bark mill was a little north. 

On the east side of the street was the George house, and 
when the new house was to be built the old one was moved 



80 COLONIAL AMHERST 

across. the street, where it still stands. It is known by some as 
the Henchman house. The Henchman house was the Rev. Dan- 
iel Wilkins house. 

( >n the west side of the street farther north was Esq. Ken- 
dall's hue mansion. It was built near Revolutionary times, the 
southern half being brought from Cricket Corner, connected 
with the part already standing, and today upstairs old steps still 
mark the juncture of the two halves. 

The small house near the road was Mr. Kendall's store and 
it was here that John Farmer came, a trembling lad, to ask for 
employment. Mr. Kendall's home was always open and many 
social affairs took place under his roof when the old partition 
would he rolled up to give space for the dancers. 

Just beyond was Esq. Brooks' new house, the first one in town 
to have <j x 13 glass. Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Kendall were sisters, 
and must have welcomed to their homes many times their sis- 
ter Mrs. Tierce, the mother of the embryo president. This house 
is supposed to have been built by Cy Converse, the bell ringer. 
Mr. Brooks taught school in the early days of his sojourn in 
Amherst, about [786. lie and his wife Abigail Kendrick and 
their three children lived here early in 1N00. A little letter writ- 
ten by whom we do not know, tells of the cordial welcome always 
given: "Mrs. B., if you will contrive to bring us to your house 
and carry us back again, it is more than probable we may spend 
the afternoon with you Feb. 23rd, [821. Signed D." 

The first church stood at the juncture of the roads still farth- 
er north. Luther Dana Brooks' store was on the west corner of 
the road opposite the church. It was moved to the Common 
about [820 and stands at the right hand corner of Jail Ave., as 
;i dwelling. Capt. Ephraim Hildreth kept the first tavern in 
what we know as the Jones place. Easterly at the foot of the 
hill lived Win. Low, who painted cloth carpets. He was appoint- 
ed in 1794 "Saxon" to ring and toll the bell on the Sabbath and 
other days, take care of the meeting house and sweep it, for 
doing which he was to have $15 a year. lie was also to dig 
graves, when applied to, at the expense of the applicant. The 
first ladies' desk supposed to have been made by Win. Lowe of 
Amherst previous to the Revolutionary war is in the Library. 

Somewhere in this district lived Dr. Cod. later Codman. 
to whom we are indebted, it is said, for some of the queer names 
of our outer districts. The Chickering house is still standing 
opposite the old Brooks place. 

North of R. II. Prince's home was the spot where Rev. Wil- 
kins' house stood, a short distance from his church. In a room 
m this fortified house was the first store kept by the minister's 
son John. We can imagine the early settlers going in for their 
"pennyworth" of snuff or horn of powder. 

Near the Wilkins house was the home of Hugh Moore, a 




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82 COLONIAL AMHERST 

quaint old Scotchman, who in turn was a tailor, watch maker 
and gun smith. 1 [e was a man of massive frame, erect, with his 
cue braided and neatly tied with a pink or blue ribbon (the last 
one in Amherst to wear a cue). We see him going to church, 
liis violin under one arm. a hickory stick in the other hand. Mr. 
Moore when sick was once visited by the crippled melodiau 
player. They talked together of the Scotch songs which the old 
veteran loved, and Major Little played and sang to him. After 
an hour of enjoyment the visitor took his leave, and as lie was 
closing the door he heard Uncle Hugh muttering to himself, "I 
swar, I'll pray for him I will." 

Leaving Upper Flanders we go south up the hill to the two 
story schoolhouse, which hounded the northern side of the road 
to Putnam's mill. Miller Putnam was well known by all the 
school children, as he often carried a load of them to school, 
picking them up by the way. His home was a little white house 
under two large elms, east of the burial ground near the mill. He 
made a lantern for his use in the mill, shaping the wood to fit 
the glass. His daughter married Hiram D. Stearns, and Mr. 
Stearns bought of Ephraim Goss the house which was a garri- 
son house in the earlier days. The walls of the house are bricked 
between the clapboards and the interior finish, which was dis- 
covered when repairing after a fire. 

The little red hearse house stood across the street from the 
schoolhouse, the brick court house built in 1824 setting well back 
into the burial ground. Toward the south were the two Means 
mansions. The left hand one was occupied by David McG. 
Means. -The right hand one was built about 1785 by Robert 
Means (father of D. McG.) who lived there until he died in 
[823. The wide gently sloping stairs of the old house have 
often felt the footsteps of many of its sons and daughters that 
were destined to hold high positions in life, and within its 
staunch walls have been performed many marriages, not the 
least of which was that of Mr. Means' granddaughter and he 
who was to become President Franklin Pierce. 

The Means store, the Lawrence store, the Curtis Tavern, 
later called by many names as owners changed, Fredonia Cof- 
fee I louse, Union Hotel, Inn of the Golden Ball, and the I lardy 
Tavern, were all destroyed by fire Dec. 3rd. 1863. also Mr. Stew- 
art's barn, which was in the rear of these buildings. The Stew- 
art house was saved and four years later was moved to its 
present location, the home of F. C. Taylor. The ell of the 
Stewart house was moved across the street and made into the 
house in which Gilbert Small lived, now occupied by Fred Stev- 
ens. 'I'he Lawrence store formerly stood between the present 
home of the late Mrs. Eveline Hartshorn and \Y. 1\. Clark's 
house and was used as a saddlers shop by Thomas Dickey. The 
room above was used for a private school. The old corner 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



83 



store was probably built in 1818 by Mr. Jonathan White, at 
the same time that be built the house, now owned by C. P. 
Dodge, the store was occupied by Mr. Benden as a tailor shop 
and he also lived in part of it. Mr. White married Sally, the 
daughter of Ephraim Goss. Her mother lived to be 105 years 
of age and lived in the little house second south from the whip 
factory on Boston Road. Mr. White's daughter Sarah married 
for her second husband Person C. Cheney, in 1859, who was 
elected in 1875, Governor of New Hampshire by the Legislature. 

In the west end of the corner store was Thomas Woolson's 
shop in' which the town clock was made, Luther Elliott doing 
the work. 

The house and the store were, in 1832, purchased and oc- 
cupied by Perley Dodge; part of the store was his law office. 




Cushing's Folly and Whip Shop Beyond. 

David Holmes settled in Amherst before 1801. He built 
the house which was owned and occupied by the late Mrs. Eve- 
line Hartshorn. Mr. Holmes married Elizabeth, a sister of Mr. 
}. White. Mr. Holmes and Mr. White were in business together 
in the brick building in the manufacture of machine cards for 
carding wool. Also in the building were Shepard's fine groc- 
ery, and Mrs. Shepard's fancy goods store, the Herald office and 
bindery. 

The whip business was begun in Amherst by b. B. Melendy 
and B. B. David, January 1821. The new shop was fitted up 
about 1830. Even the whip of good drivers was of regulation 
size The rule of perfection was that it should be 5 ft. 1% in 
from butt to holder, and 12 ft. 15 in. long from bolder to end of 
lash." 



M 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



Judge Parker's house stood on the next corner going west. 
Later the Moors owned the place, and one of them had a little 
Store just south of the house, which with the barn was partly 
burned in [848. What remained of the buildings was later made 
into dwellings, which are now the homes of Miss Emma L. Clark 
and Miss Tripp. The Public Library stands in what was Judge 
I 'arker's garden. 

Thomas M. Dickey's home was next. Mr. Walker bought 
from Mr. Dickey Nov. ;th. [845. Mr. Walker had his Mack- 
smith shop just west of his home. The little home occupied by 
the Bendens has been enlarged and used as a hotel. 

The old mill, which has stood for so many years on the site 
of the old schoolhouse, now ,^"es to the I lardy Tavern lot to be 
made into a garage. Follanshee, the butcher, lived just south of 
these buildings. 

The Judge Claggett home is still further west, a famous old 
place built by Samuel Bell in 1808; the bricks of this house were 
made on the Lord place, on the turnpike, by William and Na- 
thaniel Melendy, and the Chamberlain Bros, of Lyndeboro. 



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Rev. Dr. Davis' Home. 



Judge Claggett's many daughters made life very gay, while he, 
as its master, was a far famed host. The Peabody's came to 
live in the house until they built just above on the hill, then the 
Carletons. and well we remember the flat stone walk and big 
stones in front of the door, then Harrison Eaton changed it all 
and Mr. Xoyes owns it now. 

The brick house which has served as the Congregational So- 
ciety's parsonage was built about [836 by Nathaniel Wheeler, 
Langdon Smith doing the brick work. There was none better in 
his line of work. 

The Rebecca Spalding home could tell us many things if it 
could speak. The northern half was built before the Revolution, 
by Samuel Stewart, and the trace of the old front door half way 
down the hall may yet be seen, [ts two southern rooms were 
added by lion. Judge Dana, and it was in this house that Benev- 
olent Lodge of "Masons was instituted 1797. A hall was fitted up 




Kales 




86 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



so many of its meetings were held beneath this roof (the Benev- 
olent "Lodge, No. 7, which is now in Milford, 3rd oldest in the 
state). Samuel Dana was installed Master, Jonathan Cove Sen- 
ior Warden, and Luther Dana, Junior Warden. The ceremonies 
on this occasion were novel and imposing, and drew together a 
large concourse of people. From Judge Dana's address we learn 
that at the time of Rev. Mr. Wilkins' settlement this town did 
not contain twenty families; and to the north, not a single fami- 
ly of white people between the Connecticut and Merrimack riv- 
ers to the settlement of Canada, except a few on the banks of 
these rivers. To this house, in 1812, came Dr. Spalding. I lis 
house became a social center, and he was distinguished for his 
integrity and the calmness and self reliance that are the ac- 
companiments of a natural physician. Later this was the home 
for many years of our beloved pastor, Rev. J. G. Davis, D.D. 




Miss Fletcher's Home. 



In 1828, a cross road was built to the new cemetery, cutting 
in two parts the flourishing garden which has been between Dr. 
Spalding's and the French house, and two small houses built. 
The French house was built about 1800, and later became the 
home of Rev. Silas Aiken, the fourth pastor of the Congrega- 
tional church. Rev. William Clark lived here for many years. 
Part of the ell. which was built to accommodate the private 
school of Miss Letitia Clark, has been removed by the present 
owner. Mr. French's sign is still in the house. In 1810 the 
parishioners of Rev. J. Barnard helped him to frame a house, a 
very plain one. It was a work of kindliness on the part of the 
people of the parish toward the venerable minister, who was at 
the time living upon his farm on the east brow of Christian Hill. 
The Cabinet of June 12, [8lO has the item of local history: "And 
they have prepared stones and timber to build the house,"! Kings 
5:18. 

"Mr. Bovlston: It cannot but be pleasing to the friends of 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



87 



religion and social worship, to view the rapid progress that has 
been made within so short a time in the preparations for the 
building of the house of our respected and venerable parson ; 
as it, when finished, will greatly alleviate the difficulties of a 
strict attendance on the duties of his office, which from his late 
remoteness from the centre of the town, from his age, and the 
necessities of personal attention to the pursuits of husbandry 
for a living, had become irksome and ungenial to the regular and 
suitable discharge of them. Through his own unwearied exer- 
tions and those of a few who have volunteered their services in 
so laudable a cause, within a few days the cellar has been dug, 




B. B. David Residence. 



the walls laid, and the timber procured and drawn to the spot 
ready for framing. As it is wished to have the frame completed 
ready for raising this week, those who have been so generous as 
to tender their services in it, are informed that it will be in readi- 
ness for them to begin the work this day, and they are requested 
to attend. All others who may be disposed to further so desira- 
ble an object, will be doing well to attend or to send a hand on 
Wednesday or Thursday. 

"As the town has not seen tit to build him a parsonage, and 
he has undertaken it at his own expense, it behooves everyone 
who has a regard to the sacred order and a desire to promote 
the purpose of public social worship, to give every assistance in 
their power, in the way most convenient to them, to expedite 
the undertaking and alleviate as far as possible the now com- 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



plicated task of their respected pastor, and they will ever find 
ample satisfaction in the reflection that they have accomplished 
a good work which will he as a monument of peace to each of 
them in future as a Dutiful Parishioner." 

This same house hecame the home, in [853, of E. 1). Boyls- 
ton. \Y. D. Clark is its present owner. 1 )aniel Wheeler's little 
house stood almost in the same yard, just a drive between. 

From an old diary of Sept. iN_l(>: "Amherst people also are 
somewhat businesslike, Mr. J. Knight's house is done, Mr. II. 
Eaton's nearly completed, Mrs. Secomb's in progress," which is 
the one west of the church occupied by Miss S. Stewart. Mr. I 1. 



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The First Frame House 
(Near First Jail) 

Eaton's house is the one now owned by Mrs. Pettengill, Rev. 
Seneca White bought it of Mr. Eaton when he came to Amherst 
to live in 1852. 

From Bank square going south, we find the home of Miss 
Fletcher, built in 1X24 by Timothy Danforth for Isaac Spauld- 
ing, a house of six rooms, in 1S54 purchased by Daniel Fletcher, 
who came to the village from Cricket Corner. 

The Nichols home built by Joseph S. Abbott of Concord for 
Robert Means Jr., is the best built house for miles around. The 
letter written to Mr. Abbott is so genuine that we copy it : "I la\ 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



89 



ing this evening finished my house after being in my employ 
winter and summer, you may feel a desire that I should give 
you some evidence of the opinion time has given me an oppor- 
tunity to form of you and your work. I assure you sir, I never 
sat down to a more pleasant duty. During the eleven months 
you have heen in my employ I have never for a moment heen 
dissatisfied with you. You have never left your work for an hour 
without my permission cheerfully given and you have uniformly 
attended early and late. With regard to your work, I am satis- 
fied it is as good as any man can do with the same materials. To 
sum up all, I would say in one word, you are the best mechanic 
and most industrious man I ever had in my employ in my life 
and you will always have the hest wishes of your obedient ser- 
vant and friend, ^ t ^ 
Amherst, N. H., Sept. 16, 1825. ROBERT MEANS." 





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The Home of Aaron Lawrence. 

The house owned by Mrs. John Dodge, opposite Miss Fletch- 
er's, was built by George Kenson. He came to Amherst in 1830 
and' bought the Skinner house at the foot of the hill on the road 
to Upper Flanders. After he built the little brick blacksmith 
shop on Boston Road, he decided that his home was too far from 
his work. It was in stage coach days, and he had the care of 
forty horses. He afterwards moved his family to the farm be- 
yond the cemetery, where Mrs. Franklin Pierce lived before she 
was married with her widowed mother and family. Her father 
was President of Bowdoin College. 

West of Ray's or Nutt's Tavern there was no house until the 
old court house was moved there and used for a chapel. Several 
years later an iron foundry was started and Horace Phelps built 
most of the houses for the workmen, about 1853. 



90 



COLONIAL AMHKRST 



The first iron foundry owned by Ezra and Thomas Woolson 
was in the garden of the Melendy house. They also made sheet 
iron stoves and tin work in the third story of the old brick. The 
Woolsons also elected an iron foundry near their dwelling, 
about two miles west of the village. Three generations were at 
the same time in business, in 1X41, and here was cast the first 
cook stove in this vicinity. 

The little shop which stood on the corner of what is now 
the school yard was occupied by many different people, as a shop, 
office or dwelling. It was moved in 1N55 and one of our towns- 
men now living helped with his oxen to move it to where it 
stands, as Mr. Shaffer's house. 

Where the schoolhonse stands was the home of William Read, 
owned by Mr. Stewart, which was bought by the town and moved 
to Middle St.. just hack of what was the Stewart property. Mr. 




The Prior House. 

Read's barn stood where the chapel annex does now and a cider 
mill hack of it. 

The Congregational chapel was built in [858 by Messrs. 
Jotham Hartshorn and sons, and dedicated Jan. 20. 1850- The 
fund was raised by subscription. 

Capt. Daniel Hartshorn built the Aaron Lawrence home. The 
Bank building (now the Congregational Society's parsonage) 
was built in [806 by the Hillsborough Rank and used by them as 
long as it existed and used by the Farmers' Bank from [825-43. 

( >n Court House Road was the square law office of Mr. Ath- 
erton. and the house bought by Capt. Prior in 170,9, when he 
was weary of a seafaring life, where he kept a grocery store 
and served as first postmaster for five years. He was a twine 
maker on his father-in-law's Woodbury's farm. The building 
wa> moved later to make the ell part of his house. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



91 



The little house, which stood so many years just north of 
the home of Henry Parker, was built by .Andrew Leavitt. He 
learned his trade of Dea. Barker, the church builder. A younger 
brother or nephew Hiram built the Parker house, and in the 
south east corner room Dr. Edward Aiken first saw the light of 
day in 1830. 

The Chas. H. Atherton place was to the southeast. The 
house was built by Mr. Gordon ( who married Frances Ather- 
ton, Charles' sister). It was large, square and white, standing 
back from the road, with a handsome tall fence about the yard, 
the gate receding. The long walk from the south door was 
lined with flowers. The arbor was furnished with seats. We 




Capt. Prior, First Postmaster of Amherst. 

can see it so vividly, we wish a picture had been taken of it. It 
was the scene of many gaities. We hear of many whist parties 
that were holden there, and invitations and acceptances written 
over a century ago are still in existence. 

The little house in which we have spent so many happy hours 
with Mrs. John A. Junkins and her children was built for the 
servants at the Atherton mansion. The Stearns house we have 
mentioned. About a mile south, down the turnpike, we find the 
house which Joshua Atherton, father of Charles, bought of 
Major Robert Read in 1773. A Ye have spoken of this in the jail 
section. Mr. Atherton was the great grandfather of Mrs. Re- 
becca Spalding. He numbered among his classmates at Harvard, 
Elbridge Gerry, Jeremy Belknap, and others. 



92 



COLONIAL AMHKKST 



Nearby, the Melendy place, where the first William settled 
in 1 761, and married a sister of Samuel Lampson, one of our 
two first settlers, and where four successive generations have 
since lived. This house was at one time kept as an Inn by 
Charles Eastman, who died in [836. The room on the southwest 
corner was the bar room, and the bar was a cage like enclosure 
like the one in the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Mass. The rooms 
overhead were the dance hall with full length folding doors be- 
tween them. The present owner still has the doors and bar, but 
they have been taken out of the house. 

Returning to the village — The Methodist chapel was built in 
[839, enlarged later. 

The Baptist church was built by the Unitarians between iK^a 
and 1X3X. 

Francis Kendall Boutelle built his cottage house about 1X50. 




Atherton's Law Office. 



After his sister Almira died in '58, he moved the little shop 
so his mother could have her loom to work on. 

Walter L. Stiles built the house south of the Baptist church. 
It is of more recent date. 

The other houses in the neighborhood were built by James 
Lovejoy and Timothy Jones and Low. 

Up in the northern part of the town, on what used to be 
called "Moderator's Hill," is the Secomb place. Mere in [762 
came John Secomb. lie was a busy, hard working man and was 
called the "best moderator." Daniel Campbell came to live here in 
1761. lie was a surveyor, and knew every bit of Souhegan West 
and the King's Highway. His wife was a worthy pattern of the 
women of those (lavs. She spun her own flax, made her own 
cloth, then rode horseback to Salem Village to sell it, and with 
the proceeds paid the mortgage on her husband's farm. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 



93 



Down the road at the top of the hill was the Mack place 
which used to he the Rohy farm. 

"How many things must have happened in these old houses 
of which we know so little, for though some of the old walls 
seem eloquent with the past, yet they are silent. There were 
births, there were deaths, there were marriages. Sometimes 
these ancient mansions were bright with the soft radiance of 
waxen candles, while groups of bygone beauties and gentlemen 

with powdered wigs and knickerbockers, gathered round 
the hospitable tea table, but the tea parties were only luxuries. 




Rev. J. Barnard House. 
(Present Residence of Win. D. Clark.) 



"Now stir the fire and close the shutters fast, 
Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round ; 
And while the bubbling and loud hissing urn 
Throws up a steamy column, and the cups 
That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each, 
So let us welcome peaceful evening in." 

"For the most part, ceaseless industry might be said to char- 
acterize life in Amherst. We do not often appreciate how great 
a debt we owe to the pioneers. The Puritan forefathers of New 
England, by toil and hardships, laid the foundations of the civil- 
ization we now enjoy. What is true of New England is true of 
each state, shire, and township." 



94 



COLONIAL AMHERST 




The Home of Nathan Kendall. 





A Four Poster, 1800. 



Jeffery Amherst. 

(By Warren Upham.) 



Towns in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia, 
were named in honor of General Jeffery Amherst, the com- 
mander and hero of the second siege and capture of Louisburg. 
That great fortress and stronghold of the French, built at im- 
mense cost for defense of their settlements in Canada, was on 
Cape Breton Island, at the entrance to the Gulf and River St. 
Lawrence. It was first besieged and captured in 1745 by an ex- 
pedition from New England, a most remarkable military exploit ; 
but it had been surrendered again to the French three years 
afterward in the terms of a treaty of peace. A few years later 
began the Seven Years War, during which Amherst captured 
Louisburg in 175S, Wolfe took Quebec, defeating Montcalm, in 
1759, and Amherst took Montreal in 1760. Thus Canada, first 
explored and settled by the French, fell to the ownership of 
Great Britain, as ceded 'in the peace treaty of 1763. France also 
ceded to Spain in the same treaty her other great North Ameri- 
can possession, the vast territory then called Louisiana, west of 
the Mississippi river, which forty years later Napoleon sold 
to the United States. After sending the earliest explorers and 
settlers of large regions of this continent, France by the war 
ending in 1763 lost all her North American colonies. 

Jeffery Amherst as born at Riverhead, a village of the par- 
ish of Sevenoaks in the County of Kent, England, on January 
29, 1717. He was the second son in a large family, of whom 
three other brothers and one sister grew up. His father and 
grandfather were lawyers, and the Duke of Dorset was a near 
neighbor. Through the Duke's influence, young Jeffery at the 
age of eighteen years was appointed an ensign in the First Reg- 
iment of Foot Guards, receiving a commission similar to that of 
a second lieutenant today. Having served in the army twenty- 
three years, partly in England and partly in Germany, rising 
meantime to the rank of colonel, Amherst was commissioned 
in the spring of 1758 by the British premier, William Pitt, as 
major general to lead "in the English campaigns against the 
French in America. With what success these campaigns were 
crowned, we have already seen, being indeed complete victory 
and conquest of the great French provinces of Canada. Of the 
martial qualities of Jeffery Amherst which led to that result, 



96 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Turkman wrote': "He was energetic and resolute, somewhat cau- 
tious and slow, hut with a bulldog tenacity of grip." Another 
writer has added: "Amherst had the best fighting qualities of 
his race and nation, and was withal sagacious, far-sighted, and 
eminently humane in his policy of dealing with men." 

From the writer last quoted, in the I listorv of Amherst,. Mass., 
we may further note the sudden rise of the victorious general to 
the highest plaudits and gratitude of his countrymen. "I/mis- 
burg was duly surrendered July 26, 175X, with all its stores and 
munitions of war, together with the whole island of Cape Breton 
and also the Isle of St. Jean or Prince Edward Island. All the 
outlying coast-possessions of France in this region were thus 
cut off at one blow. It was a signal victory. Throughout the 
English colonies men thanked God and took courage. England 
went wild with joy. The flags captured at Louisburg were car- 
ried in triumph through the streets of London, and were placed 
as trophies in the cathedral of St. Paul. In recognition of his 
distinguished services General Amherst was made Commander- 
in-Chief of the King's forces in America, and his name was hon- 
ored throughout the English-speaking world." 

Descrihing the public acclaim two years later, when Montreal 
had fallen and with it all Canada, the same author says: "The 
present generation is in danger of forgetting who Amherst was. 
and what he did to make our forefathers rejoice in his name 
for our town. They knew the reason for their rejoicing. The 
pulpits of New England resounded with Amherst's praises. The 
pastor of the ( )ld South Church in Boston said to his congrega- 
tion : 'We behold His Majesty's victorious troops treading upon 
the high places of the enemy, their last fortress delivered up, and 
their whole country surrendered to the King of Great Britain in 
the person of his General, the intrepid, the serene, the successful 
Amherst.' In like manner all the churches of Massachusetts ob- 
served a day of Thanksgiving. Parliament gave the victorious 
Commander-in-Chief a vote of thanks." 

In 1701 Amherst received from the King the honor of knight- 
hood. In November, 1763, after the end of the wars, he gladly 
returned to England, to reside near the ancestral home in Kent. 
Succeeding to its ownership on account of the death of his elder 
brother, Sir Jeffery replaced the former home by a more stately 
mansion, which he named "Montreal." ( )n a sightly point of the 
estate an obelisk monument was erected and still stands, which, 
to quote from its inscription, commemorates "the providential 
and happy meeting of three brothers, on this their ancestral 
ground, on the 25th of January, 1704, after six years' glorious 
war, in which the three were successfully engaged in various 
climes, seasons, and services." These brothers were JelTcrv. 
John, and William Amherst. The monument, a shaft about 
thirty-five feet high, is dedicated to William Pitt, and bears upon 



COLONIAL AMHERST 97 

two of its faces lists of the battles leading to the conquest of Can- 
ada in which Sir Jeffery figured. 

During the winter of 1758-59, which Amherst spent in New 
York, he had been quite homesick. A letter that he wrote back 
to England tells of a friend's expected return there, on which he 
commented: "Tis the place that everybody here thinks of going 
to. I do not, as long as the war lasts ; when that is over — which 
I promise you I will do all I can to finish in a right way — I will 
then rather hold a plough at Riverhead, than take here all that 
can be given to me." 

A portrait of Jeffery Amherst, painted in 1765 by Sir Joshua 
Reynolds, hangs in the home of the present Lord Amherst. It 
represents the general as watching the passage of his troops in 
boats down the rapids of the St. Lawrence river, on their way 
to Montreal in 1760. The photographic copy of this portrait 
forms the frontispiece of "The History of the Town of Amherst, 
Mass." (1896), and also of the recently published book by Law- 
rence Shaw Mayo, entitled "Jeffery Amherst, a Biography" 
(1916), which is in our public library. 

From 1778 to 1782, during the greater part of our Revolution- 
ary War, Amherst was the commander-in-chief of all the British 
forces in England, and throughout that war he was the most 
trusted military adviser of the English government ; but he had 
firmly declined the request of the king, George III, in January, 
1775, to take personal command in America. In 1776 he was 
granted a peerage, with the title Baron Amherst, being thence- 
forward a member of the House of Lords. 

He died at his home, "Montreal," August 3, 1797, at the ripe 
age of eighty years, and was buried in the family vault in Sev- 
enoaks church. Mayo, in his Biography, writes: "In England 
his name is associated with those of William Pitt and George III. 
and although no sculptured marble preserves his likeness and 
memory in abbey or public square. Canada, the flower of the 
British empire, sweeping from the fertile valley of the St. Law- 
rence to the towering summits of the Rockies, will ever remain 
a splendid and inspiring monument to the energy and ability of 
Jeffery Amherst." 

It can be truly said, to the honor of General Amherst, that he 
always treated the vanquished with a kind and generous spirit. 
and very notably so after his victories at Louisburg and Mon- 
treal. From such humane conduct. Great Britain has received 
remarkable loyalty of both the French and the English in Can- 
ada. 

As he had no children, his title and estate were left to his 
nephew, William Pitt Amherst, then twenty-four years old. who 
later became governor general of India and was made an earl in 
1826 for his good services in that part of the empire. 



Boyhood Remembrances of Amherst 

HALF A CENTURY AGO. 
i By Warren Upham. ) 



Standing in the great display room and ticket office of one 
of the railways which cross the west half of our continent, from 
St. Paul, Minnesota, to the Pacific coast, and seeing its many 
pictures, glass transparencies from photographs, of broad grain 
fields, mountain parks with glaciers, and the well laden fruit 
orchards in valleys near the coast, I have recently heard again 
in my mind and heart the call of my youth, the wish, looking 
into the future, to go forth and toil and reap in the harvest. 
But my life is mainly past, and it is now more fittingly my hap- 
piness to look back, to think over again the scenes and pur- 
suits of my boyhood, the school and college days, and the years 
"when I was young." ( )ften now memory brings back those 
good and even rich early years ; though in fact many roguish 
pranks to vex my first school teacher, and lack of the wealth 
represented by money, are among my first recollections. 

In a cosy red farmhouse on the Thornton's Ferry road, two 
miles distant from the village, which we called "Amherst 
Plain," my eyes first saw the light. That was in the early spring 
of [850. Amherst memories of my childhood and youth there- 
fore belong to the years 1855 to 1867; for from the age of 
seventeen to twenty-one my life was mostly at "classic Dart- 
mouth's college halls," in Hanover, about one hundred miles 
north of "good old Amherst." Later my home during several 
years, with my mother and sister Lizzie, was in Nashua; and 
after 1879 Minnesota has included my work and home, except- 
ing nearly eight years, from 1885 to 1893, in West Somerville, 
Mass. 

Impressions from geography and geology began very early 
to mould my childish thoughts, to lay probably the beginning 
of a foundation for my work in later years on Surveys of New 
Hampshire, Minnesota, and the United States and Canada. Our 
brook, (lowing through my father's farm, was newer dignified 
with a name; but it is ever present in my first memories, and in 
those nf a few years later is bisk's (and afterward York's) inill- 
pond, through which this brook Hows. There my fishline drew 
out. 1 m rainy days and in summer evenings, many good meals 
of the little catlishcs which we called "horned pouts." 



COLONIAL AMHERST 99 

From our own brook, having frequent wide and darkly deep 
places, yet elsewhere so small that in many spots I could jump 
across it, my older brothers and I caught pickerel, chubs, suck- 
ers, and other kinds of fish, by the hook, or oftener by a wire 
slip-noose ; and in sunny days, or in evenings by the light of 
pitch pine knots burning in a jack, which one of us held out 
over the brook, we spread those unwary fish, sometimes getting 
enough in an hour or two to supply our home and the neighbors. 

In the more distant Souhegan river, about a mile and a half 
south of us, and especially in Baboosic pond, some two miles 
northeast, we were accustomed to fish when a holiday permitted. 
Also on many summer evenings, or during a rainy half-day, we 
fished in a hired boat on Baboosic, or from a huge boulder 
on its shore where deep water adjoined the side of the great 
rock. 

A wide view of the greater part of the town, and of the more 
distant mountains to the north and west, all comprised, how- 
ever, within the limits of the county, was obtained on our way 
to the village, from the bend and descent of the road just before 
passing the house of Newton Lowe. This point is about a mile 
southeast of the village, which lies spread out in full view. ■( )ften 
on the cool Sunday mornings of the spring or of the late 
autumn, when in going to church we came to that place of far 
outlook, we saw the Peterborough mountains at the west white 
with snow, though only rain had fallen on all other parts of our 
landscape. On the north and nearer in this outlook are the pre- 
cipitous south front of Joe English hill, in New Boston, and the 
twin Uncanoonuck mountains in Goffstown. 

Near to us, within the limits of Amherst, are the beautiful 
Walnut hill. Chestnut hill, farthest north, Straddlepole, and 
Wilkins hill southwest of the village, named from its comprising 
a part of the farm of Colonel Thomas Wilkins. In Mont Vernon, 
originally a part of Amherst, we look up to a broad highland 
tract, its village being about 350 feet above ours ; but one of its 
rounded elevations, named Prospect hill, rises somewhat higher. 

Like many other students in the Appleton Academy of Mont 
Vernon which later received a different name, I remember with 
much pleasure a term spent there, and a long walk west to a 
wonderful rock gorge called "Purgatory." A similar gorge 
and grotesque rock cliffs in the northeast edge of Amherst, named 
"The Pulpit," near the birthplace of Horace Greeley, filled us 
with astonishment and awe when a company of our young peo- 
ple visited it for a Fourth of July picnic. 

Mica schist, gneiss (pronounced as "nice"), and granite, 
formed in the most ancient geologic ages, are the bed-rocks of 
Amherst. Over nearly all our area these foundation rocks are 
covered by the glacial drift, mixed boulders, gravel, sand, and 
clay ; or along the larger brooks and the Souhegan river the 



100 COLONIAL AMHERST 

surface is modified drift, being sand and gravel assorted and 
laid down in nearly level layers by water action. The several 
low hills on our farm, where I coasted in the winter, abundantly 
strewn with boulders, are marginal moraine hills, as they would 
he termed by geologists. Such drift hills and small ridges, 
heaped along the edge of the great continental ice-sheet, here 
representing a short halt or readvance in its time of final melting, 
are traced far across our northern states, from the Atlantic sea- 
hoard to the Rocky mountains. Possibly this moraine in Am- 
herst may some day he shown to he apparently continuous to the 
Leaf hills or the Mesahi range in Minnesota. While the Amherst 
bed-rocks are of vast age, immensely older than the Allegheny 
mountains and the coal in Pennsylvania, the glacial and modi- 
lied drift formations are geologically quite recent, for the Ice 
Age was immediately followed by the present historic period. 

Among the teachers whom I well rememher in our District 
No. 3, "Cricket Corner," were Maria Caldwell, Sophia E. Phelps, 
h. Augusta Bruce of Mont Vernon, Martha Wilder of Peter- 
borough, and Vrylena L. Shattuck of Jaffrey. Though I have 
mentioned the childish depravity of my earliest school terms, it 
was no later than the somewhat mature age of seven years when 
that waywardness or stupidity ceased, and it was a genuine con- 
version. Ever afterward I tried in all ways to please the teacher, 
whom I thenceforward always reverenced and loved. 

Some of my schoolmates are yet living, in Amherst and Nash- 
ua and elsewhere, and I feel that they are very near friends. ( >ne 
is Gustavus G. Fletcher, though many years a merchant in Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn. ; another is lion. Albert E. Pillsbury, of Boston, 
Mass.' 

It was my task during several winters to build the fire each 
morning in the schoolhouse, coming usually a full hour before 
the other scholars. For this service the ashes of the good oak 
and maple wood, and perhaps a dollar added, were my pay. 

In my earliest childhood and for several years later, our 
schoolhouse was red: but before the Civil War (if my memory is 
correct) this building, in which my father fifty years previously 
had attended school, was mainly rebuilt, the admirable frame of 
old-growth pine being saved. Then it was painted white, being 
also supplied, as I think, with green window-blinds. 

The sport that I most vividly rememher was skating on the 
"Big Meadow," near the school, when a flood stage of the Sou- 
hegan had overflowed it and ensuing cold had frozen smooth ice, 
often thick enough to hear many skaters. Then at noon, and 
in the evenings with a bonfire on the ice, we vied with each 
other in skill and speed. ( Jccasionally some of the men of the 
neighborhood, even elderly and revered men, as Captain George 
Washington Fletcher, buckled on their old skates, and showed us 
youngsters how to "cut a figure S." At some other times we 



COLONIAL AMHERST 101 

went for an evening's skating on Stearns pond, more than a mile 
southeast of the school. 

Every summer from the age of eight to twelve or fourteen 
years, I was entrusted twice a week or oftener with the horse 
and wagon and a market load of the farm produce, as peas, 
string beans, sweet corn, squashes, cucumbers, butter, eggs, cur- 
rants, apples, plums, etc., and especially all the wild berries in 
their seasons, as strawberries, blueberries, huckleberries, black- 
berries, raspberries, and cranberries, which we children and our 
mother picked. These berries, excepting only the cranberries, 
grew plentifully in our pastures or on tracts from which timber 
had been cut. Rising with earliest dawn, I used to drive ten 
miles to Nashua, arriving there about eight o'clock or earlier, 
as soon as people would be through with their breakfast. Two 
or three hours sufficed to peddle all the load, going from door to 
door along many streets. Then the horse was fed with oats 
brought from home, and the return journey took me back com- 
monly by noon or one o'clock, in good season for an afternoon's 
work in the hayfield or in other farm duties. 

In 1861, when the Civil War came on, it was remarkable how 
quickly all the gold and silver coin disappeared from circulation. 
For a short time we relied on postage stamps as small change, 
but soon the fractional United States currency of little 10, 25 and 
50 cent bills came into general use. Prices at the same time ad- 
vanced, and the farmers marveled to receive fifty cents a pound 
for butter, being about twice as high as ever before, with most 
other prices, for everything to be sold or to be bought, increas- 
ing in a similar proportion. 

One change from the days of my youth in Amherst, one 
sight and subject that I knew well, which nevermore will be 
seen in all the earth, consisted in the abundance of wild pigeons, 
a species then plentiful throughout our northern states and con- 
tinuing so as late as the year 1870, but which now is quite surely 
extinct. Their flocks, as I once saw them flying past our farm, 
reached two or three miles in length, flying abreast and in succes- 
sive rows, with a noise of their wings like a mighty wind. Each 
summer during probably forty or fifty years my father and my 
three brothers caught many in nets, at "pigeon stands" of partially 
trimmed trees with poles nailed on them, these birds being there 
baited with corn and buckwheat. After many pigeons had be- 
come accustomed to eat daily at the "bed place," a large net was 
sprung instantly over them at their repast. They were then us- 
ually taken in lath boxes to a pen in the barn, where they were 
fed liberally and ate freely and soon fattened, although in con- 
finement. Such "stall-fed" pigeons, when killed and dressed, 
having their feathers picked and being tied in threes, commanded 
usually a price of $3 or more per dozen in the Boston market. 
Thither the Wilton, Lowell and Boston railroad took them with- 



101' COLONIAL AMHERST 

in a half day from the dark morning when they were taken off 
from their perches, previous to the coming of daylight, for this 
end. 

As a small boy in [856, 1 well remember the presidential 
campaign of Fremont and Dayton against the successful can- 
didates, Buchanan and Breckinridge, the last named being repre- 
sented in the Republican rallies as a "broken bridge." On May 
30, [860, 1 saw and heard Greeley at the great Amherst Cen- 
tennial celebration. In the autumn of that year, attending a 
"Wide Awake" torchlight parade in Milford, I saw a transparen- 
cy portrait of Abraham Lincoln carried along in the procession, 
with the words, "The Man for the Crisis." I low little could we 
foresee the greatness of the man and the greatness of the crisis! 

The four years of the terrible Civil War were filled with 
anxieties, bereavements, griefs, and self-denials, which were a 
part of my education more indelible that the lessons learned from 
books. 

In April [865, 1 can never forget the place and the time when 
one of the neighbors, riding past our home, brought from the vil- 
lage the awful news that Lincoln was assassinated. Nor can I 
ever forget the general and profound sorrow of the next Sunday 
at the church, and the tears with which Deacon Edward 1). Boyls- 
ton spoke of Lincoln in the Sunday school hour. 



HISTORICAL POEM 



FRAGRANT MEMORIES 

OR 

The Dead of a Hundred Years 

1760-1860 

A recall of the Dead of the First Century of the Town of Am- 
herst, N. H., read at the Centennial, May 30, i860 

BY 

EDWARD D. BOYLSTON 



And now to the task of calling Death's roll — 
Our list is a long one, but far from whole. 
With the dead of the pulpit 'twill be pleasing to all 
To commence this long and strange roll-call. 

The first hither called the Word to proclaim, 
Was from Middleton — Daniel Wilkins by name; 
A man of fine mind, who, from a free heart. 
For a little pay did much truth impart. 
Compelled for support to wield ax and pen, 
He humbled the forests as well as the men. 
But for him "Narragansett Number Three," 
Through fear of the foe would have ceased to be. 
His house, a garrison, where watch was kept 
In turn by the settlers, while th' others slept. 
In "Upper Flanders" it stood — stands there still — 
The old Henchman house, east side of the hill. 
When the Sabbath came he would shoulder his gun, 
And hear it to Church, as did then every one. 
There armed he stood, his charge well to keep,, 
With charge for the foe, and charge for the sheep. 
His glasses, which sole-leather bows did grace, 
Were kept by a string securely in place; 
lint the eyes that peered those glasses through 
Glistened with a zeal for the Master true; 
And their owner was dearly beloved by all 
Who came up to worship, or shared his call. 
A strange sight now such a pastor as that. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 103 

With breeches, long stockings and three-cornered hat, 

And his Bible, psalm book, powder-horn, gun, — 

From such affrighted our children would run 

When time had so weakened his powers of mind 

That memory failed him the ritual to find, 

The old settlers as one did agree 

That no one could marry as well as he: 

So still they sought him, and when he forgot 

A promter would aid him in tying the knot! 

His ministry lasted through forty-two years, 

And they laid hi mto rest with many warm tears; 

While the town erected a monument meet 

O'er him whose memory was so sweet; 

And cheerfully granted, the rest of her life, 

Annuity to his most excellent wife. 

When Pastor Wilkins had become too old 
Longer the good Word of Life to unfold, 
The Town and the Church, with much harmony, 
Asked one Blydenburgh his colleague to be; 
With salary of one hundred pounds 
If he would settle within their bounds. 
But, for reason we may never know, 
He gave them for an answer — "No." 
They next invited one Edmund Foster, 
A worthy man, to become their pastor; 
But he went to Littleton; and in '79 
The Town and Church sought to combine, 
And after a long struggle, full of ire, 
From Bolton called one Jeremiah — 
(A prophet true, but of lesser fame 
Than Hilkiah's son,) — Barnard by name. 
His settlement to be in pounds nine score, 
His annual salary eighty-four 
Until the war should be over, and then 
The annual pounds to be increased ten. 
A man of good talent and ardent mind, 
Religion and patriotism he combined; 
Though sometimes, if records are honest and true, 
His politics came too plainly to view, 
And his sermons and prayers Sabbath days 
Were little too much in partizan ways. 
For this he was once severely reproved 
By the parish in which as pastor he moved, 
And requested when going to say his prayers 
To leave his party at the foot of the stairs! 
In doctrine he of Armenius savored, 
And under his teaching good many wavered. 



104 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Ho owned a nice farm on top Christian Hill, 
And tilled his land, his flock feed with skill. 
He served as pastor half century and more, 
And went to his rest at five and fourscore. 

In seventeen eighty, the Northwest Parish 
John Bruce as pastor elected to cherish. 
He served them years one score and four, 
And ceased his toil at twelve two score. 
In his youth as "good Mr. Bruce' 'he was known, 
That goodness through all his ministry shone. 
One cold Sabbath morn, as his fond people came 
To hoar hini the way to Heaven proclaim, 
Death, cold as the morn, as he went on his search, 
Took "good Mr. Bruce" to a much higher Church. 

Nor should we pass one "to the manor born," 
The young pastor of Gloucester, Levi Hartshorn, 
A servant of God beloved and well-read, 
Who came home to die, and sleeps with our dead. 
All said that "the godly man ceaseth" when 
They laid him to rest at one score and ten. 

With the dead of the pulpit I linger no more, 
But call the dead of the long pew before. 
The oarly Deacons to us were unknown, 
But tenderly loved by those who are gone: 
Cochrane, and Badwin, and Wilkins, Boutell, 
Hobbs, of whom we have some t hings to tell, 
Lovojoy, Barker, first Seaton and Elliott, 
To know was to love and never forget. 
Deacons Seaton and Elliot of later days 
Wore elders worthy of all praise; 
Nor less so Deacons Hartshorn, Downe, 
And Parker, worthy a jeweled crown. 
Such dust as this we love to guard, 
It is richly redolent of reward, 
And sweet it will be from where it lies 
To hear our summons to arise. 

And now, th' archer who loves a shining mark, 
Is stealing around, as in the dark, 
For other two elders, who long have stood 
With those departed, as true and good: 
Spaulding, physician of body and soul, 
With us today, but fast nearing the goal; 
And Eastman, modest, Cliristly one. 
Whose sands of life are well nigh run. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 105 

Pardon the sin, if sin it is, 
To speak in rhyme of a deacon's phiz. 
I do as you may do by me 
When I am gone, to speak thus free 
Of a worthy one, whose nasal part 
Was capacious as his loving heart. 
Surely I need not ask leave to repeat 
What happened one when in their seat 
The recusant choir failed to bear 
Their part, just after the morning prayer: 

Good Deacon S arose in his place, 

Regardful of duty rather than grace, 

And cried out in a voice sonorus and free, 

"Let us all rise and sing Barby!" 

And from his nasal trumpet came 

A sound that put the choir to shame. 

Congregational music thus installed 

Is now in vogue all over the world. 

Of these first settlers one called must be 
Who largely honored old "Number Three." 
Humphrey Hobbs, a Deacon, and Captain too, 
For praying and fighting was equally true. 
As tradition has it, one Sabbath morn 
Indians were lurking about in the corn. 
Thinking that the settlers would fear to fight 
On the Sabbath, as 'twould not be right! 
But the Deacon rallied the men of "old Three," 
And quickly the "red skins" had to flee. 
Some of the Indians fell in the strife, 
But not one of the settlers lost his life. 
Ever after the Inlian used to say: 
"Deacon Hobbs no good, he fight Sabba' day!" 

The dead of the pews 'twere hopeless to name 
Except the men of exceptional fame. 
Time only permits to speak of a few 
Of these in our grave-yards, old and new, 
Or, peacefully sleeping their last, long sleep, 
In other enclosures, or in the deep, 
Or, fighting their Country's battles fell, 
Of whose sepulture no monuments tell. 

Where sleep the men who were the first to see 
The dangers and toils of old "Number Three?" 
Where repose the mothers, so worthy and true, 
Who shared trials and dangers not a few? 
For oft we have heard the elder Campbell relate 
How his worthy, good wife did once berate, 



106 COLONIAL AMHERST 

And with much peril and pluck, I trow, 
Drive off a bear that was fighting the sow! 

Where sleep the men who early went forth 
Scouting for foes, who lurked west and north? 
And the trusty men that with brave Goffe went 
Canada-wards, on its conquest intent? 
Or the noble company that for Lexington 
Left in the night when the first blood did run? 
The true men who for that war volunteered, 
And at Charlestown, Rh. Island and N. Y. appeared, 
Or, at Bennington, under Bradford and Nichols, 
Where brave men fell as grain before sickles? 
Ah! stern men they were, and men very brave, 
And well now they fill a patriot's grave. 
Men who far sooner than forfeit the right 
Would venture their lives in the deadly fight. 
Their proud declaration, ne'er dishonored, survives, 
Pledging their fortunes, their honors and lives, 
Firm by each other undaunted to stand, 
And drive the enemy from the land! 
Captain Baldwin leads, and proved his word 
When Colonel at New York in battle he rode. 
Then follow Moses Nichols, of Bennington fame, 
Josiah Crosby, a most worthy name, 
Who led our brave band to Bunker's height, 
And shared with them its bloody fight — 
Of whom was brave Kendall, who used to go 
By the honored title of "Bunker Joe," 
And used to say, when his powder was gone 
He asked a red-coat to fill up his horn! 
Peter Robinson, too, who his right are gave 
His pledged promise and his land to save, 
What a proud roll that! two hundred and one! 
Well done, old Amherst, well done! well done! 
Of the men thus pledged well night two score 
Shouldered the musket and marched to the war! 
Save old Londonderry, no town in the State 
Of voters enrolled proportion as great. 
Rh, where are ye sleeping, ye honored and brave? 
O, where? for we would cherish each grave: 
But if from our knowledge a kind Heaven keep, 
The spot where in death these brave soldiers sleep, 
May it grant to us, to posterity too, 
The mantles of sires so noble and true. 

Where is Colonel Crooker and the men he enrolled 
In '12 and '13? Most the grave doth enfold. 
Where are the men of "Old East" and "Old West," 



COLONIAL AMHERST 107 

And "Lafayette Rifles, the "Bloody Fifth's best, 
The gaily dressed "troopers" who prancingly rode 
And oft on the Plain their gleaming swords showed, 
And the men of the big artillery, 
Colonel Jones and his aids— where they? where he? 
Ah, most of these soldiers have met that foe 
From whom unconquered no soldier can go. 
Their battles all fought, their training all o'er, 
They have passed on to that peaceful shore 
Where wars and rumors of wars are unknown, 
And there in love they "go marching on." 

With those who have lived in the service of law 
Mortals love not close encounter to draw, 
But old Father Time, with his scythe and spade, 
Even of a lawyer is never afraid! 
From the ranks of the law on Death's roll appear 
Many bright jewels gathered here: 
Athertons — Joshua, Charles H., Charles G., 
Attornies, civilians, a brilliant three. 
Parsons, Dana, Gordon and Everett, 
In the crotchets of law a fine quartette, — 
The last, the lad the first to declaim 
Those words of wond'rous, world-wide fame: 
"You'd scarce expect one of my age 
"To speak in public on the stage." 
Robert Means, son of Robert, of Bowdoin degree, 
A more polished son not often you see. 

He built a fine house where the Davids reside, 

But with knotty law-cases was not long tried. 

To Lowell he went, and his life there spent, 

And his record is with its chief industry blent. 

Smith and Clagget robes of ermine wore, 

And brief'Congressional honors bore. 

Elisha F. Wallace was somewhat skilled; 

Andrew Wallace, long the Clerk's seat filled; 

And, long-time before him, Frederick French 

Kept the records and papers of the bench. 

Edmund Parker was Justice personified, 

Beloved he lived, more than honored he died. 

These lawyers all, at Heaven's stern command, 

By "habeas corpus," Death brought to a stand — 

He has the body — but only "in trust" — 

Heaven holds a sure "mortgage of their dust!" 
Further the century's dead to review, 

Let us call of its Teachers an honored few. 

Who was the first one? I cannot tell, 

Though all would like to know it well. 



108 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Unknowing first teachers or their rules, 

We may first say a word of our first schools. 
Long before school-house the town could afford 
The ubiquitous school-master "was abroad." 
Each family on the town fund might draw 
At a fixed rate, school purposes for; 
And it was the settlers' highest pride 
To see, gathered around some fireside. 
The children and youth of the neighborhood, 
Taking lessons by the light of pitch-pine wood. 
Esquires Campbell, Secomb, Ellinwood, Brooks 
Taught many a bright boy, who had no books, 
In these night schools, (perhaps did some flog) 
Where blazed the fire with hugh back-log. 
Besides those named who early taught here 
Some true home-names on our records appear: 
Fisk, Fletcher, Fuller, Kimball and Barnes, 
Melendy, Underwood, Barron and Stearns. 
And in days less remote names none forget: 
Chickering, Kendall, Stewart, Smith, Clagget, — 
With Stephen Holmes and William Appleton, 
Whose courses, so brilliant, so quickly run, — 
And quaint Eben Weston, the teacher who wrote 
A poem historic, which I might well quote, 
For he a faithful portraiture drew 
Of all the parents his school-district knew, 

And other fine teachers, not Amherst-born, 
Gathered laurels here our tale to adorn: 
Amherst's only Academy — the Aurean — 
With Appleton its short life began. 
Cowdoin's President, who such honor gained, 
Whose family long after with us remained. 
Then followed Walker, Staniford, Moore, . 
And with Cole the Aurean closed its door. 
It came to a premature end, we are told, 
Melical diagnosis — "a want of gold!" 
At west of the town, Dodge — David and Asa — 
Were accomplished teachers for their day. 
A very fine penman, David made 
Fine penmanship his professional trade, 
And copies he sent for those he thus served, 
For their beauty and grace, are still preserved. 
At Charlcstown (Bay State) he long was Town Clerk, 
And its records show some excellent work 
Abel P. Hildreth, of Derry renown. 
Erst kept in the old Court House of the town. 
Thither an embryo President went — 
Young Frank Pierce— on wisdom bent, 



COLONIAL AMHERST 109 

And, reciting his "Amo, amas, amat," 

Glanced at the girls with the glint of a cat! 

But teacher worthy our highest honor 

Is our town-historian, the late John Farmer. 

He needs no towering stone to tell 

His life's-work, done so nobly well! 

And yet there are due him from town and State 

Honors that are shown to the good and great. 

And can we forget Ann Orr in our search, 

Name more than fragrant with the "oil of birch?" 

Or, one-handed, heartless John Bennett, who 

Gave us, corporally, more than our due! 

Nor stutt'ring Wallace, long pride of the Plain, 

Worthy lawyer Shattuck's daughter to gain; 

Giftel Jonas Merriam, our school-days' delight, 

Devoted to study to the loss of his sight; 

Or, Edward Humphrey, of honored name, 

Who from another Amherst came; 

Misses Wheat, and Clark and H. A. Train — 

When shall we look on their like again? 

Noble the work, indeed, these teachers wrought 

For the town they served and the pupils taught! 

Where, where are these fond teachers? Gone, all gone 

Where truants and torments are nevermore known, 

Save here and there one who stand on the shore 

Awaiting the boatman to take them o'er. 

Next on the list we beg leave to name 
The dead of Esculapian fame. 
Among the first who with saddle-bags rode 
Pills, powders dispersing, was Doctor Cod. 
Not liking the name, with him they began 
To add to the Cod what made it Codman. 
A curious medicine-man was he, 
Dispensing than powders his fun more free. 
When called, he first took a dram, then a bed 
Till the fuddle was a little out of his head, 
Then viewed his patient, a prescription made, 
And closed his visit with a joke or trade. 
Once returning, an inquisitive student asked 
Of his patient's disease the cause and caste. 
"Eating eggs, sir,' 'he answered. "But what tells?" 
"Why call it eggs always when seeing the shells!" 
The Doctor abroad, an order was sent, 
And the inquisitive student quickly went, 
And returning, the Doctor desired to be 
Informed of the sick man he went out to see. 
"He's swallowed a colt," was the cool return — 



110 COLONIAL AMHERST 

"Swallow id a colt! but how did you learn?" 
"Why call it cold always," he retortingly said, 
"When saddle and bridle are under the bed!" 
To this unique Dr. Cod has been ascribed the fame 
Our out-town districts so oddly to name: 
"Straddle-Pole," — "Cricket Corner" below — 
"Upper Flanders,' 'and old-time "Skinner's Row," 
Where all the one-coated men, it is said, 
A poor man's life contentedly led. 

Then there was Setl. Ames — brother of Fisher — 
Of very fine mind, of all a well-wisher, 
Brilliant and skillful, but strangely enough, 
His "post mortem" shew the trouble was — Snuff! 

Moses Nichols, from Reading, was a worthy M. D., 

And a wide and iong practice here had he, 

The same who at Bennington proved his skill 

With pills and powder intended to kill! 

His son Moses, to, M. D. signed his name, 

And, sire-like, had professional fame. 

To Sherbrook went this young medical Moses, 

And there his dust in much honor reposes. 

Nathaniel Henchman, of Lynn, an M. D., 

Came hither to practice in year '83, 

In 1800 dying, he left a son, 

Who, the degree of his father, also, won. 

Feeble, he went South, but soon came home, 

At thirty-two to tenant the cold tomb. 

Dr. Samuel Curtis we knew in our youth — 

A man of much skill, large wisdom, and truth. 

And his most worthy, last-wedded wife, 

With his thirteen children, departed this life. 

He was the most unique, comical M. D. 

To us it was ever given to see. 

Not deeply to the medical profession wed, 

Sometimes lie dispensed physic, and sometimes bread; 

Sometimes made soap, and oft dabbled in law; 

Smoked bacon, in brick, with an iron door; 

And as postmaster served for most of the towns 

Within Hillsborough County's present bounds: 

And more than this, to the State, for eight years. 

He gave the first Register that in it appears. 

A worthy degree from Harvard he bore, 

Skilled Surgeon in the Seventy-six war, 

And, during the latter years of his life, 

A pension blessed him and his excellent wife, 

John Muzzey, Reuben's son, Reuben D.'s father, 



COLONIAL AMHERST HI 

An M. D. of much skill, was in practice here 

Eight years, and in 1800 removed 

To Peterborough, and there as here he proved 

A gentleman of unblemished mien, 

In whom ever the Christ was clearly seen. 

Rogers Smith, in the Northwest Parish born, 

For four years rode as physician in town. 

He left us in eighteen hundred and eight, 

Dying at Weston, in the Green Mountain State. 

In no wise more honored was he than to be 

Sire of that scholar, — Rev. Asa D. 

These physicians, so true with powder and pill, 

The "last sickness' 'took, in spite of their skill. 

Of Printers who their last "impressions" have made,, 
And whose cold"forms"in their cold "beds" were laid, 
It will not take long the brief roll to call, 
But time would fail to tell their good "points" all. 
Coverly first, with his Gazette, appears, 
Then Bigelow and Sam Cushing, with Messengers, 
Then Joseph Cushing came with his Cabinet, 
(Which your humble servant is printing yet.) 
Richard Boylston in The Cabinet sat early, long, 
And earnestly hoped his years to prolong, 
For he ardently longed for this day's light, 
But went to his resting without the sight. 
Mansur and his Telegraph next appear, 
And Wells & Seaton Herald the rear. 
From the Telegraph came the brilliant Hugh Moore, 
Whose brilliancy faded at twenty-four. 
Would we could just turn the dial hand's back 
And see the fine author of "Old Winter * * alack." 
And from the Herald, George Kendall went 
To the Picayune, and to it his sunny-side lent. 
These printers their "impressions" true all made, 
And now, their "forms" are all well "laid;" 
"Locked up" by Death, they sleep, our pride, 
"Proved," "revised," and, we trust, "justified." 

Of Traders whose traffic forever is o'er, 
And who the last time have "shut up the store," 
We pass not a few, they come up by scores, 
Claiming a naming, from Death's damp doors. 
Pastor Wilkins' son John was the first who made 
Here selling goods a professional trade. 
The stores in those days were not as stores now, — 
One room in a dwelling-house, packed any how! 
Few were the articles kept in them to sell, 



112 COLONIAL AMHERST 

And one small apartment sufficed very well. 

His was in his father's south'west corner room, , 

With everything called for, l'rom pipeto peeled broom! 

Captain Dana asked leave a store to build. 

In '85, west-side of the "Training Field." 

(Is this the scent of the Read Store of old 

Standing so markedly "out in the cold?") 

He then sold goods, as his bonor, bright, 

In the old house removed by Jonathan Knight. 

Robert Clark. Josh. Cleaves both stores did attend 

"At the Second New Hampshire Turnpike's end." 

One Cutler traded in Upper Flanders, 

Till, frightened renegade, he cuts and wanders. 

Nathan Kendall, too, kept there a full store, 

Well known and honored the whole region o'er. 

One day at his counter a tow-haired boy 

From Merrimack, called to ask for employ, 

And that modest lad in his growth became 

The John Farmer of wide historic fame. 

Later, Luther D. Brooks — D. for Dana — 

Had a store above, near where the highway 

Makes a sharp turn as travellers then went 

To Mont Vernon, or for northern towns bent. 

He after, this store removed to the Plain. 

Where, by Brooks & Brown, it was opened again. 

Robert Means, the elder, from Ireland came, 

And won in trade an enviable name. 

At first his goods, in a pack, to the door 

Of the scattered cettlers, in hand, he bore; 

And when here, from Londonderry, he came, 

He brought to his store a very wide fame. 

David MGregore, true "chip of that block," 

Succeeded, as well, to his father's stock, 

And here in trade, widely-known, many years 

In the firm Spalding & Means or alone appears, 

Successful and cherished, as was his sire, 

Until by death he was called up higher. 

Reads — Robert, William and Robert his son, 

Were heredite traders our people among. 

Noble men. who did much to gain for the town 

Its thrift, popularity, and wide renown. 

Read & Spalding's sign long stood o'er the door 

Of the old hut capped, square "Read Store." 

Both these men went to "The Village" below. 

Which now by their aid, as a city we know. 

But. earlier traders than some of those named: 

Whiting, Farewell. Robert Fletcher, were Earned, 

And Captain Brown, (Eli) once so cruel 



COLONIAL AMHERST 1 I 3 

As to challenge young Boyston to fight a duel. 
Failing, less honorable satisfaction he sought, 
But far the worst of the club-duel caught! 
Further and later, 'twill suffice to recall 
Prior, the Shepards, Sloan and Small. 
(Prior was Post-master and kept his store 
By Atherton's law office, south one door. 
And twine made, and large orders received, 
At the farm where the late George Gardner lived.) 
Miss Sally Low and the smart Wakefield girls 
Furnished to ladies dress, bonnets and curls. 
With Aiken, Eb: Lawrence, Underbill, John Moor, 
Blanchard and Boylston, — the rest we pass o'er. 
Five stores and five taverns once kept open bars. 
With tempting array of decanters and jars! 
Those were the days of "free rum," sure. 
But what they sold was the "Simon pure!" 

We are not joking in making a bot,st 
That of Landlords Amherst has had a host. 
Taverns in time old were two miles apart — 
At each you must call, and drink ere you start! 
Of the early landlords who fame here won 
Are Whiting, Snow, Crooker and Morrison, 
Smith, Emerson, Curtis — and south of the place 
French, Adams, Lund, Eaton, Rhoads and Mace — 
Langdell, Whitcomb, Lawrence, and later far 
The Nutts — all passed on to the accounting Bar. 

Fragrant the memory of landlords Curtis and Ray — 
Would they were caterers for us today. 
Dr. Curtis in breeches of leather I see, 
With ruff, and buckles on shoe and on knee; 
And a leather pocket, for snuff, by his side, 
From which his longings were often supplied. 
Esquire Ray was always sweet, neat and trim 
As that choice little rose we call prim — 
With his powdered hair, and his well-kept cue, 
His long dressing-gown, and his welcome true, 
And house, stables and yards, all as a pin neat, 
As hostelry it ever ranked — complete! 
Of Hammond his son, and Hannah, his mare, 
'Twould be pleasant to speak — but I forbear. 

Jolly sight was seen on a Winter's night 
Around those bar-room fires, blazing so bright 
They needed or cared for no other light; 
Wide-circling the rousing fire would set 



114 COLONIAL AMHERST 

A company one seeing would never forget. 
But time to:lay will not suffice me to tell 
The stories and fun they passed round so well, 
Or, how the red-hot pokered mug of flip 
Was oft passed around for the mutual sip. 

To put the first last, is sometimes allowed, 
And so we must deal with this hostelric crowd. 
Hildreth kept house where the Joneses reside, 
The first Town Church and its Court House beside; 
And he, or something he kept at his place, 
Had a wonderfully harmonizing grace. 
For, when at town-meeting they disagreed, 
An adjournment, "to Hildreth's west room made 
For half an hour," worked like a charm, 
An.l it seldom failed to quiet the storm! 
And, in Court-time, by watering the Jury 
He marvelously helped that to agree! 

Of those who have sought to make of us men 
By cutting our clothes to the best of their ken, 
Tuck and Lane, long ago, close fits would give, 
And so would Monsieur Peter Deceive. 
Of this "tailleur" we know but this more 
That he said he once drummed in Bonaparte's corps. 
In base-drumming he made a great display, 
And the Company that had him on Muster-day 
Would always carry the crowd away. 
Thomas M. Benden, an Old-Country man, 
Was fond of good living, his kennel and span. 
And Scotch Hugh Moore was a pattern true 
Of Tailor, Wathmaker, and Gunsmith too. 

Of painters who have laid their lact coat on, 
And gone where glossing isn ever done, 
Were Nichols, Curtis, Low and Leavitt, 
For those early days, an artistic set. 

Of Joiners already joined to the dead 
Harker, Thomas tnd Emerson take the head, 
With Andrew Leavitt, the first who made 
The slatted house-blinds, with their grateful shade; 
And right good men, of excellent skill, 
Were Morrison, Elliots, Coburn and Hill, 
And we must not pass musical Tom Hartshorn, 
Who in love with a fiddle was doubtless born, 
lie used to play at Church and at balls, 
And lor dancing-parties had lots of calls. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 115 

He worked on the meeting-house in '78, 
And oft played at dances until quite late. 
One night, thus late, on the way to his home, 
He heard the wolves around him roam; 
And, finding that they were upon his track, 
He mounted a rock, for fear of the pack. 
The hungry rascals yell round it and yearn, 
And poor Tom, he don't know which way to turn ! 
Whichever way looking, their glare he sees, 
And they prowl around among the big trees. 
But a lucky thought— "music has a charm 
Savage breasts, perhaps savage beasts, to calm! 
Grown brave with the thought, Tom tips his fiddle, 
And, to his best, gives them Yankee Doodle! 
As on the red-coats before, it worked to a charm, 
And safe, tho' well frightened, he reached his home. 

Of all who ever waxed-end drew, 

Oil Warner made the best-fitting shoe. 

One would be deemed almost out of his wits 

To go to a dance without one of his fits. 

Wiley, Porter, Kendrick, Melendy, Melvin, 

Were excellent workmen, excellent men. 

But, of all worthy Crispans, none ranked higher 

Than that prince of jokers, Converse (Josiah). 

Wherever, whenever he came around 

Laughter and mirth were sure to abound; 

/ nd, e'en to this day, we oft tell o'er 

The jokes he cracked in the old Read store. 

"Hobson's choice" was first— choice of one man— 
For our people who had green hides to tan. 
Hobson had his vats and ground up his bark 
Where at present resides good Minister Clark. 
That mill was removed, and its heavy frame 
The Smith house— now Dr. Moore's— became. 
The Chickerings— Isaac, father and son- 
Were honest, prompt men, and had great run. 
Both were Jacksonians, true as could be, 
And the boys knew the elder as "Old Hickory." 
He puts down large lots of hides in his vats, 
And snared swarms of wild pigeons in his nets. 
Isaac, the younger, would close account take 
Of coin in his pocket his invoice to make! 
And for his Cabinet always called to pay 
Ere taking his breakfast, on New Year's day! 
A neighbor, between their house and the mill, 
Joseph George, used some vats to fill. 



11G COLONIAL AMHERST 

In ('.ays agone, no more to return. 
When towns all around with jealously burn. 
And, for business and thrift of old Amherst yearn — 
In the palmy days of the Turnpike fair, 
With its toll-gates, and keepers ever there, 
And latter days of the "New Road" to Weare — 
Four daily, twelve-passenger, six-horse Coaches, 
Here, up and down, made pleasant approaches, 
Foretold by the notes of the winding horn, 
Cheerfully ahead on the breezes borne. 
Old Wheat was first, of whom we will speak: 
He drove to Boston, and back the same week! 
Once, fording the swollen Souhegan, his team 
Was carried away and lost in the stream. 
A monstrous long nose his phiz did adorn — 
They said "he blew it, instead of a horn!" 
From Amherst to Concord this crack whip went, 
And there for a living hoop-poles bent, 
And thus wittily his business advertised, 
Showing how truly printer's ink he prized: 

"Here are barrels made, and barrels sold; 

"He makes the new and mends the old; 

"And, when his work it tight and neat, 

"He brands his name — Joseph Wheat." 
This Wheat at Charlestown next is known 
In a Malt-house — and then Cried for the town! 
Then there was Butman — his horn I hear 
Away down by Eph. Franch's, shrill and clear; 
And, quick as thought, six horses, strong, 
Like soldiers appear, to take him along; 
And, the villagers haste to the Coach, to greet — 
Friends they are expecting there to meet — 
As now to the Railroad station we hie, 
To welcome friends, or, to say, "good bye." 
Other stagemen can only be named, 
Though not less worthy, not less famed: 
Who James Newell knew, or William Laurence, 
Train, (whose team ran like the mountain torrents,) 
Dutton, Stevens, Lovejoy, or Sam Vose, 
Will ere their memory divorce? 
Or, would not now enjoy a ride, 
Upon the big box, such whips beside? 

Foster, Lancaster, Runnels, Underbill, « 

Made true wheels, and a true-bent thill. 

Watson, Crosby, Dickey,' made saddle, trunk, trace, 
An English nobleman's turn-out would grace. 



COLONIAL AMHERST 117 

Of tho men of the anvil and the sledge, 
I know not who received the pledge 
Thrice made to the anvil that first blest 
The unshod cattle of "Souhegan West." 
Cummings shod horses on Meeting-house hill; 
Durant and Crosby, by the bark-mill; 
Whitney, up by the first scales for hay,, 
Where they swung the load, to learn what it weigh. 
Danforth and Gardner were also known 
As honest forgers (!) at south of the town. 

John Bridge, perhaps, and John Fuller, sure, 
Made lots of mahogany furniture. 
The Blanchards also, fine furniture mr.de, 
And coffins, to order, for the dead; 
And William Low would build a chair, 
With seat of wood, straw, cloth or hair, 
Which for a hundred years would wear. 

Foster, Woodward, Woolson, and Moore, 
Had a Watch hung o'er their door. 
Woolson, the ingenious man who made 
Our true town clock, with Luther Elliot's aid. 

Bricks, from their kilns, in heavy loads, 
Were often borne by Brown and Rhodes; 
And jugs and mugs were made of clay 
By Tolman and one Potter Ray. 

Kimballs, Blunt and Mace were Hatters; 
And Danforth, Brown, and Blood, Stone-cutters. 

Of Auctioneers, in the days of old, 
James Roby at large g: therings sold, 
And never of business had a lack, 
(He lived on the farm now owned by Mack.) 
Turner Crooker knew well each "crook and turn," 
And Mace, with his mace, had nothing to learn. 
Thomas Kearney was of Scotch-Irish descent, 
And with his brogue his wit well blent. 
He lived in Pond Parish, just where you make 
A sharp turn east, as you near the Lake. 
He rode everywhere, sold everything, 
From toble-Damask to finger-ring. 
At fairs and musters his brogue and fun 
Secured for his goods a very large run ; 
Wherever he called, the matron's broom dropped, 
And the work all over the house was stopped; 
And ere he had left, matron, maiden and maid 
Had with genial Tom Kearney made a trade. 



118 COLONIAL AMHERST 

The Jonses — Peter and Levi — father and son — 
Butcher-carts, with meats, in our boyhood run. 
The father was lean, and the son quite fat, 
But meet men, and enterprising, "for a' that;" 
And on their high farm, up north of the town, 
(As now at P. W.'s blood-stock was shown. 
Once, as Levi was driving South witli a load, 
He found the Souhegan high over the road; 
And the neighbors cautioned him not to ford, 
But he "knew better!" and scorned their word. 
Riding in till the water was up to his heels, 
He's divorced from his horse and the little wheels! 
And his scorned advisers, looking on, greet 
The Colonel safe-anchored, with plenty to eat! 
But, his prospects quite bad, a boat was sought, 
And butcher and meat ashore were brought. 
On the way, these rogues dropped from the boat 
A fat leg of beef, to see if 'twould float! 
Intending at low water to take it hence, 
An:l on it feast, at the butcher's expense. 
But not in that light did he see it, quite, 
And they had to "go in," and bring it to light! 
For they were more worthy, in his belief, 
To take a cold duck than his leg of beef! 
Didymus Parsons — "requiescat pace" — 
Though on the fat "sus" thou had'st no mercy! 

Rust, up in "Flanders," and Goss, on "the Plain,' 
Baked bread of which women did ne'er complain — 
But neither will ever "heat up" again. 

Weston was Mason, true man as e'er wrought. 
And true in his calling, as e'er cried, "Mort!" 

Not a Broker's sign here ever appeared 
Till "Timothy Danforth, Broker," was reared. 

In art Tonsorial, "John the Barber," 
Surnamed Louie, here once made harbor. 
"John-the-Barber" was a tonsor of wit, 
And sometimes made a most capital hit: 
For fun' of the thing, the boys once stole, 
From his shop door, John's tri-colored pole. 
On return, he promised "the bearer should be 
Lathered for nothing and shaved free!" 
Nat Leavitt assayed to shave and cut hair, 
His fun was as keen, but John's art not there. 

Scotian McClinch, in the early days, 
In "Skinners Row," made women's stays, 
And the Fisks, down there, did the ladies bless 
With loads of band-boxes, for bonnet and dress; 



COLONIAL AMHERST 119 

While Mother Grater, on the hill home-farm, 
Made tippets and muffs to keep them warm; 
And Merriam cut them a coarse or fine comb. 
Jewetts made baskets and peeled birch-brooms; 
Most of the matrons worked their own looms; 
Many a maiden braided the husk-mat, 
And lots of farmers "whipt-the-cat!" 
Cards were made by Holmes, White and Snow, 
And first painted floor-carpets by "Bil-Low." 
William Melendy first, was a cooper, 
And early came here from England's shore, 
Prom whom have descended our Williams four. 
Manning and Taylor fulled cloth for a trade. 
And the best moderator John Secomb made! 

But, I pass the trades, and open the door 
To a few "ancient and honorable," now no more, 
Men and women in years of four or five score: 

Old Father Time, who ne'er tarries to play — 
With many has dealt in very kind way: 
Tho mother of "Prophet Jeremiah" saw 
A hundred and one years pass o'er 
Before she went to the "shining shore;" 
Anr his sister, Lydia, was hale and green 
When a full century she had seen; 
And Hannah Lovejoy for twenty months more 
Life's love, joy and duty, like Hannah bore. 
Daniel Campbell, the senior, disappears 
Just as his hundreth birthday nears. 
A stirring life, true, long, he spent here, 
Surveying the King's townships, far and near. 
Every inch of Souhegan West he knew, 
And on much of it his own wood grew. 
His wife, who of years saw more than four score, 
Was a worthy pattern of the women of yore. 
She spun her own flax, and made her own cloth, 
Mounted the pillion and carried it forth, 
Sold it at old Salem, with the proceeds paid 
The mortgage that on the "Holt swamp" laid. 
And, then, in "Straddle-pole" neighborhood, 
Hepsey Hartshorn for more than a century stood, 
And might yet, perhaps, had not one-eyed Bill 
Let her slide from the pillion, at foot of the hill: 
That same "Billy Hartshorn" who came to the Plain 
Always on horseback, shouldering his cane. 
I see him now, as on the Lord's day he stood, 
Front the high pulpit, one eye in a hood! 



120 COLONIAL AMHERST 

. He, too, lived to be night four score 

Ere he mounted his pillion and cane no more. 

John Brown, a Briton, "marching on" went 

Till nigh a full century he had spent. 

And Peter Goss lived to be "very old." 

But, how many years, we have never been told. 

Exunt "ye ancient and honorable" all, 
While a few odd names, and odd mortals we call: 

Brooks quietly here their courses have run, 
Sir Isaac, wife, daughters and son. 
He was a sterling man, and his ready pen 
Worked with much grace for his fellow-men. 
He made, and preserved within his own door, 
The County Records, twenty years or more — 
And his house, as north from the village you pass, 
Was the lrst here lighted with 8 x 10 glass. 

Bells we have had, of a deep, silver tone, 
Which over the world, their echoes have thrown ; 
On whom, from us gone, high honors have laid,, 
Proving the pure metal of which they were made. 

Kings and Princes here have been known, 
Barrons and Lords to their rest have gone; 
And among the distinguished ones gone through, 
Let us "render to Ceasear what to Caesar is due?" 
Caesar (Parker with face as black as coal, 
But who had a white wife, we hope a white soul. 
Nor, less honor than due, to Tom Honorable, 
Who had no honor to honor at all. 
He had a coal-black face, and blacker heart, 
And, one night, the "Yankee-boys" made him start, 
He, and his "hoodlum," for some other part! 
We must not o'erlook "Patience Stanley," so tidy, 
"John Wood-pile," "Old Kiff," or one "Man Friday;" 
That noisy Bill Tuttle, whose talk so vile, 
Driving his cattle, could be heard a mile; 

"Miller Putnam," nor his little black pup, 
That, barking, drove us to the school-house up. 
The old school-house is gone, its glory o'er, 
The little black pup will bark no more, 
And the good miller is passing away, 
Respected and loved, where rouges ne'er stray! 

Major Bridges we've had, and Bridges less; 
Fords, whom we have had to pass; 



COLONIAL AMHERST .121 

Fields, with bright lessons all aglow; 

Hills that have smiled on the meadows below: 

Woods, of all growth, and Wood-wards varied; 

Lanes, Downs — Marshes in their own growth buried; 

Shepards, with big flocks in fields and the fold; 

Temples, and Halls, with Ushers of old; 

While Greens, and Purples, and Whites and Brown 

Have shed their Rays o'er many a Towne. 

And, with the Cash in hand, and credit complete, 

We have always had Means our Bills to meet. 

Exit oddity! — Early gayety, avaunt! 
And with the gay ones we'll close up the count: 

Gay men we've had, and gay women too — 
Early places more gay were scarce and few. 
Where are the gay parties that vised to go 
Over to Babboosic, to fish and to row, 
And to feast on the chowders, so savory, fine, 
That they and "Pond John" knew how to combine? 
Where are the fast ones who loved to gad 
Around Mother Thornton's at first run of shad, 
And dance till when they had gone she was glad? 
Or, gay lads, lassie, who, to the ferries 
Rode, in large parties, to pick whortleberries? 
Old Death o'er the gay fishers has ferried, 
And the berry-pickers, picked and buried. 
Where the school-boys and girls, who to "Great Rock" 
Oft Saturdays used together to walk, 
Or, up to the "Castle," or, over where 
The "Three Sister" maples grew so fair — 
And, returning, tarried at the "Old Beech Tree," 
To carve their names for their children to see? 
The "Great Rock" remains, tho' much covered o'er, 
The "Old Beech" has fallen to rise no more. 
"The Castle," so famous, is now scarce known, 
The "Three Sisters," spared till middle-life, gone — 
But, the boys and girls, "0 where, tell me where?" 
For I know not where a half of them are. 

Tempus fugit! A hundred years and more gone! 
Four generations of townsmen passed on! 
And O, how many men of the place 
Have passed beyond our power to trace! 
And with them much we can never replace. 
For who of this throng can tell me, today, 
Where "The Vineyard," with its Eschol clusters, lay? 
Or, site of the rock where the little-drum, snared. 
The welcome news of Independence declared? 



122 COLONIAL AMHERST 

Or, who can til us of the "Honey Pot," 

"Forge Hill," or "Minister's," or "Ministerial lot?" 

Or of "Folly Brook," — or, "Cushing's Folly," 

Which still in the "old Brick store" you can see? 

Or, who can now locate the town's first Pound? 

Tell where on the Plain its first Church was burned? 

Where the Screw Factory was? or, the Frog Pond, 

Where many a lad his skating learned? 

And, few can tell where saltpetre was made, 

And, none know or care where "Old Kiff" was laid! 

Who knows surely why to our fair lakelet 

Its sweet name, "Pappoosic," the red-met set? 

While the English will ever remain incog. 

Of "Quo-quin-na-passa-kessa-nan-nag-nog!" 

These fragrant memories we might recall, 
Till the evening's sweet dews around us fall. 
But, a host unnamed, though cherished as well, 
We must pass till the next Centennial! 
And, if there it is given your faces to greet, 
I pledge that the list shall be made complete! 

Pardon the effort, o'er the occasion to shed 
The fragrant memories of the cherished dead. 
Thickly as Autumn-leaves, come floating still, 
Borne on the breezes, from valley and hill, 
Sweet thoughts of those who have over them trode, 
And in our six temples have worshipped God. 
Sleep on, unknowing, and many unknown 
By those of us even to manhood grown, 
Except in the deeds of valor and love, 
As cherished below and recorded above. 
Your tomb-stones may crumble, but we will keep 
Your memories fresli till with you we sleep; 
And oft, as today, your deeds we will tell 
To our children, and e'er bid them, as well, 
To cherish in story, and cherish in heart, 
And oft tell to theirs, the tales we impart. 



